The National Bank Building stands at 900 Princess Anne Street at the corner of Princess Anne and George Street in downtown Fredericksburg. Commissioned in 1819 by the Farmers Bank of Fredericksburg and completed in 1820 by builders Robert and George Ellis and designed in the Federal style, it is widely recognized as one of the city’s most significant historic commercial buildings.

Originally the Farmers Bank of Fredericksburg, the front portion of the main floor served as the banking house, while the rear rooms and second floor were used as living quarters for the bank’s cashiers and their families until about 1920. After the Civil War, when the original bank failed, local leaders quickly secured a new charter and organized the National Bank of Fredericksburg, continuing the site’s long banking history.

The building played a notable role during the Civil War. During the Union occupation of Fredericksburg, it was used as headquarters by Union officers, and historical accounts associate the site with visits by both Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. Its continuous financial use lasted for nearly two centuries, ending in November 2014.

Today, the building is home to the restaurant Foode, which opened in 2016 after a careful restoration which preserved many original architectural features, and the historic bank vault remains part of the interior.