The striking former Bank of New Zealand building in Raetihi was designed by the notable Wellington architect Joshua Charlesworth and, at the time of its construction in 1911, it stood as a symbol of the commercial viability of the town.

The building was the second bank building to be constructed in the town. The Bank of New Zealand was persuaded to open its first bank in the county following the inaugural meeting of the Waimarino County Council in 1903. The newly appointed members of council resolved to instruct the Clerk to write to the directors of the Bank of New Zealand about 'establishing a branch of the Bank in Raetihi'. Later that year a committee was appointed to gather information on Raetihi that could be presented to the Bank's Board of Directors, in order to support their case for a bank at Raetihi. Two years later, the first bank in the County was opened at Raetihi under the management of Mr. A. L. Hempton. It was a small, plain, single-storey structure, clad in sawn timber weatherboards, and sheltered by a corrugated iron roof. As the town expanded following the opening of the Main Trunk Line in 1908, it became clear that more substantial premises were required.

In 1910 the eminent architect Joshua Charlesworth (1861-1925) was commissioned to design a bank building for Raetihi. Charlesworth, who is best known for his design of the Wellington Town Hall, was responsible for designing 17 branches of the Bank of New Zealand between 1907 and 1917. The building was situated on a corner site purchased from Karioi Station Manager Edward McDonnell by the Bank in 1899. To take full advantage of the site, Charlesworth designed the building with a double frontage. Described in the local papers when completed as a 'Colonial Composite of Tuscan-Roman-Ionic design', the building featured Tuscan style three-quarter plaster columns over the main entrance. The entrance was further distinguished by a 'glory' pedestal, which had ornamentally carved brackets. The nine windows had plate glass embossed with the bank's logo. The interior included a grand banking chamber, a manager's room and a stationary room, a large strong room, two bedrooms and a bathroom. At the rear, Charlesworth provided a combined stables and feedhouse. Described as the first building of its class in Waimarino, the bank was constructed by a Mr. Upton at the cost of £2000 and was officially opened to the public on St Patrick's Day, 17 March 1911.

As was traditional, the BNZ provided accommodation for its managers and senior staff and the first manager of new bank at Raetihi, T. M. Butts, resided on the Bank premises. By the 1930s, however, when F. L. Smith was manager, the BNZ funded the construction of a new, more spacious, residence at the rear of the building. The Wellington-based architectural firm Thomas Turnbull & Son was commissioned to design the structure and carry out minor repairs to the bank interior. At the cost of just over £1914 the firm added a bungalow style extension, which incorporated a dining room, drawing room, sunroom, small kitchenette and a porch. The stables and feedhouse were converted into a workshop and garage.

The Bank, the first in the Waimarino County and a survivor of the great 1918 fire, was for many years the main bank in the area. It had an average of 8 staff and in the 1950s allegedly managed over 700 accounts. Over time, as other towns in the area grew in size, the importance of the Bank declined. Bank staff last used the accommodation at the rear of the structure in 1986. Ten years later in 1996, the Bank building was closed and was sold into private hands. The residence at the rear is leased to tenants, while the Bank building is currently used as the base for a local radio station.