To make way for the new Bank of Carthage building in 1960, the former Caffee Drug Store building across 3rd Street at 231 Main Street was demolished.   Amos Caffee established his medical practice in Carthage in 1859, served as a Civil War surgeon, and opened the first Carthage drug store after the war.  The 1960 bank building now serves as the Jasper County Police Annex.  

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FUN FACT:  In 1953, Carthage, Missouri, was formally recognized as the sister city of ancient Carthage, Tunisia.  When the new bank building was constructed in 1960, the architect and bank officials decided to honor that connection by incorporating replicas of three ancient Carthaginian coins into the building’s design.

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The coins were crafted by Italian artisans in Carrara, Italy, using Aurisina Chiara marble, chosen for its color and similarity to Missouri’s Carthage limestone.  Each coin measures 3 feet, 6 inches in diameter and weighs approximately 500 pounds.  They were installed by skilled craftsmen from the Carthage Marble Company.  A unique piece of Carthage history, linking Carthage, Missouri, to Carthage, Tunisia, more than 5,000 miles away!​​

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When Carthage became a sister city to the ancient city of Carthage, the Tunisian government gifted several artifacts which are displayed in the Carthage City Hall.