Since 1867

150 Years and Counting…

Standing On Our Past…Banking For Your Future

 

The founding of First State Bank in 1867 grew from the vision of local leaders to meet a community’s needs.  Despite natural disaster, unmatched explosive growth, wars, and economic turmoil, First State Bank survived, thrived, and maintained our independence.  Although the world changed a lot during the last 150 years, one thing remained constant–First State Bank’s commitment to serving the financial needs of our customers while growing our community.

We’ve come a long way together, and we look forward to serving you in the future.

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March 28, 1867

March 28, 1867

St. Charles Savings Bank window from 1867A group of community leaders gathers to “form and organize an association for banking purposes” in response to the growing needs for a safe place to keep money, a place to secure loans, and to help the community.

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May 10, 1867

May 10, 1867

Saint Charles Savings Bank 1867St. Charles Savings Bank is chartered.

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May 20, 1867

May 20, 1867

Theodore Charles Bruere, Sr., Saint Charles Savings BankSt. Charles Savings Bank opens in Concert Hall on South Main Street with nine directors and three officers and $100,000 capital. Theodore Charles Bruere Sr. is the first president and serves for 39 years.

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1867

1867

Missouri Governor is Thomas Clement Fletcher (R); Lieutenant Governor is George Rappen Smith (R).  Executive power in St. Charles County is held by a panel of three judges, including John D. Hollrah, Richard Hansell, John F. Schroer.

Business leader J.P. Morgan Jr., inventor Wilbur Wright, author Laura Ingalls Wilder, physicist Marie Curie, and baseball player Cy Young are born.

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1870

1870

U.S. Federal Census population of St. Charles County – 21,304

 

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1871

1871

The second railroad bridge to cross the Missouri River opens at St. Charles.

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February 27, 1876

February 27, 1876

Saint Charles Savings Bank destroyed by tornadoTornado destroys Concert Hall.  Two night watchmen in the building survive by climbing under their beds.  Within a week the bank is back in business in “temporary” quarters next door. St. Charles Savings Bank continues to do business for more than two years in that location.

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March 10, 1876

March 10, 1876

Alexander Graham Bell speaks into telephoneInventor Alexander Graham Bell speaks the first words to his assistant on the telephone, “Mr. Watson—come here—I want to see you.”

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April 20, 1878

April 20, 1878

St. Charles Savings Bank, Odd Fellows Hall at 117 South Main StreetNew bank offices open in Odd Fellows Hall at 117 South Main Street, between the County Courthouse and City Market.

St. Charles Savings Bank leases the front part of the first floor, a space measuring 35’ wide by 25’ deep.  An adjoining room is rented by attorney and bank president Theodore Charles Bruere, Sr. where he ran his law business.

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1885

1885

St. Joseph Hospital opens in St. Charles by Sisters of St. MarySt. Joseph Hospital opens in St. Charles by Sisters of St. Mary.

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1893

1893

SCSB weathers the Panic of 1893 when 15,000 American businesses—including 500 banks—failed.

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February 1900

February 1900

Construction on St. Charles County Courthouse starts.

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April 30-December 1, 1904

April 30-December 1, 1904

St. Louis World's Fair Ferris Wheel 1904St. Louis hosts more than 20 million visitors at the World’s Fair.  Each visitor pays $0.50 to enjoy amusement rides, new foods, museums, animal exhibits, and witness the latest advancements in technology.

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1904-1932

1904-1932

Streetcars are a transportation mode in St. Charles.

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1907

1907

New York Stock Exchange 1907St. Charles Savings Bank perseveres during the Panic of 1907 when the New York Stock Exchange falls by nearly 50% from the previous year’s high causing thousands of businesses to fail.

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January 2, 1908

January 2, 1908

St. Charles Savings Bank 1907Bank moves to 121 North Main Street .

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December 23, 1913

December 23, 1913

Federal Reserve System is created in an effort to provide the nation with a safer, more flexible, and more stable monetary and financial system.

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1916

1916

First State Bank exhibits customer serviceSt. Charles Savings Bank marketing campaign promotes “courtesy is our watchword,” leading the way for the bank’s long history of exceptional customer service. This photo from the 1970s exhibits our long-standing commitment to customer service.

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1920

1920

U.S. Federal Census population of St. Charles County —22,828

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1929-39

1929-39

Watercolor painting of St. Charles Savings BankSCSB withstands the Great Depression, the longest and deepest downturn in the history of the United States. An estimated 9,000 banks fail during the 1930s.  The FDIC is created in 1933 to preserve and promote public confidence in banks by insuring them.

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1958

1958

First span of Interstate Highway 70 bridge opens in St. Charles

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1959

1959

St. Charles Saving’s Bank’s 121 North Main Street location is enlarged and remodeledSt. Charles Saving’s Bank’s 121 North Main Street location is enlarged and remodeled. A one-story addition is added to the southern end of the original building.

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1960

1960

U.S. Federal Census population of St. Charles County — 52,970

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May 1967

May 1967

First State Bank turns 100 years oldSt. Charles Savings Bank changes name to First State Bank on May 20, 1967—its 100th anniversary—to better reflect its full services as an independent community bank. The bank gives customers the “red carpet treatment” by installing new carpeting in the branch, and on May 10, employees come to work clad in costumes reminiscent of 1867 when the bank was founded.

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September 1968

September 1968

First State Bank Drive ThruDrive-thru at Fifth and Washington opens in response to customer needs

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November 20, 1968

November 20, 1968

121 North Main Street 1978First State Bank focuses on safety when gunmen rob 121 North Main Street and get away with just over $50,000 in a white laundry bag, but were caught in California. The robbers were tried, found guilty, and sentenced to jail.

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May 1971

May 1971

First State Bank Fifth Street, St. CharlesFifth street location remodeled and enlarged to meet the needs of tremendous bank growth.  Offices were added making it a branch location, not just a drive-thru.

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August 1973

August 1973

First State Bank Hwy 94, St. CharlesFirst State Bank opens Highway 94 branch.  The new branch (housed in a mobile home) hosts the bank’s second drive-thru.

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August 1973

November 1973

First State Bank Boat Bug Marketing Campaign“Bugs” invade FSB’s marketing campaigns.  Doug (the savings bug), Bill (the boat bug), and the Gold Bug savings account appear in marketing materials while announcing “better banking service” to the community.

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1974

1974

First State Bank FSB rolls out “You Are Thumbody Special” campaign as an effort to let bank customers know they are as individual as fingerprints.

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1975

1975

First State Bank, Highway 94 facility is remodeled and enlargedHighway 94 facility is remodeled and enlarged.

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1976

1976

Cordelia M. Stumberg, First State Bank Board of DirectorsJean Droste and Cordelia Stumberg are named to First State Bank’s board of directors.  They are the first women to serve this role.

Current promotion on car loans awards 50 gallons of free gas when you get your auto loan with First State Bank.

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1980s

1980s

First State Bank, Fifth Street, St. CharlesFirst State Bank stands strong during the Savings and Loans Crisis of the late 1980s when more than 1,600 banks and 1,300 savings and loans failed.

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1980

1980

U.S. Federal Census population of St. Charles County —144,107

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October 1983

October 1983

First State Bank Fifth Street remodelsBank moves headquarters from Main Street to new bank building at Fifth and Washington, a facility four times larger and still in the central business district of St. Charles.

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1988

1988

INVEST Financial at First State BankFirst State Bank signs agreement with INVEST Financial Corporation to offer investment products at the bank.

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1990

1990

The Internet develops as the world’s computer network.  By 2015, 3.2 billion people use the Internet globally.

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December 14, 1990

December 14, 1990

First State Bank O'Fallon Clock 1990O’Fallon Community Banking Center opens.

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2000

2000

U.S. Federal Census population of St. Charles County –283,883

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January 30, 2000

January 30, 2000

St. Louis Rams win Super Bowl XXXIVSt. Louis Rams win Super Bowl XXXIV against the Tennessee Titans.

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2001

2001

First State Bank Fifth Street, St. Charles Drive Thru LanesFirst State Bank offers ATM/Check Card product line.

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2002

2002

First State Bank’s first ATM is installed at Highway 94 branch.

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2003

2003

Online banking is introduced at First State Bank which coincides with the first time electronic payments (credit cards, debit cards, and automatic transactions) outnumber paper checks.

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February 2003

February 2003

First State Bank Website Homepage 2003First State Bank unveils first website.

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2004

2004

First State Bank Hwy 94, St. Charles RemodelFirst State Bank replaces existing Highway 94 facility with a complete branch office.

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February 4, 2004

February 4, 2004

Facebook 2004Social media website, FaceBook, is launched.  In 2016 the site has more than 1.79 billion users.

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May 20, 2006

May 20, 2006

First State Bank Lake Saint Louis, MOLake St. Louis branch opens in response to need for community bank in the area. The bank branch is conveniently located near the Meadows shopping center, adjacent to the I-64/40 corridor.

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December 2007 - June 2009

December 2007 -June 2009

First State Bank, O'Fallon, MOFirst State Bank continues to thrive during The Great Recession of 2007-2009, the longest recession since World War II. In total, 165 banks fail in 2008-2009.

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2010

2010

U.S. Federal Census population of St. Charles County —360,485

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March 2010

March 2010

First State Bank Mortgage LogoAcquire mortgage group to grow mortgage lending division in St. Charles County, St. Louis County (Chesterfield), as well as Osage Beach (Lake of the Ozarks).

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March 2011

March 2011

First State Bank connects with customers for the first time via FaceBook.

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October 28, 2011

October 28, 2011

The St. Louis Cardinals cinch the MLB World Series against the Texas Rangers.

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February 2012

February 2012

First State Bank Mortgage Chesterfield Ribbon Cutting CeremonyOpen Chesterfield mortgage office to support strategic growth of mortgage business through expanded market coverage.

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July 2012

July 2012

First State Bank Mortgage, Leawood, KSTwo loan production offices open in the Kansas City area to expand our market presence in the area.

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December 10, 2012

December 10, 2012

First State Bank Chesterfield, MOChesterfield (Baxter Road) branch opens, the first branch located outside St. Charles County.

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January 2016

January 2016

First State Mortgage, Phoenix, AZThe Phoenix, AZ mortgage office hosted an open house announcing their grand opening at their new facility.  This is the first office outside the Midwest.

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2015

2016

Mobile banking services are enhanced with the launch of a branded First State Bank of St. Charles app for iPhone and Android phones and tablet devices.

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2017

2017

Trump-Community-Bank-CEOsLuanne Cundiff, President and CEO of First State Bank, along with other community bankers met at the White House to discuss the regulatory challenges affecting community banks.

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2017

May 10, 2017

Luanne Cundiff cuts the ribbon in honor of First State Bank's 150 year celebrationFirst State Bank celebrates 150 years of serving the financial needs of our community through a rededication ceremony and a pledge to volunteer 150 days at community nonprofits. Employees more than double the goal and served 310 days.

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2018

2018

First State Wealth Advisors logoFirst State Bank’s INVEST team of financial advisors becomes First State Wealth Advisors.

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2018

2018

Couple applying for a First State Bank Mortgage home loan.First State Bank offers more convenience to customers by accepting digital mortgage loan applications.

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Summer 2019

Summer 2019

Tonganoxie, Kansas mortgage locationFirst State Bank Mortgage opens the Tonganoxie, Kansas location.

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August 2019

August 2019

Zelle logoFirst State Bank makes sending money to family and friends fast, safe, and easy by partnering with Zelle®.

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Spring 2020

Spring 2020

First State Bank Essential EmployeesFirst State Bank alters services in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Banking and mortgage center lobbies temporarily closed for the health and safety of clients and employees. Creative and tailored alternatives shifted business operations to drive thru, online, and remote options to ensure continued service amid often changing conditions.

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April 2020

April 2020

PPP LoansFirst State Bank assists businesses in securing federally guaranteed Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funding from the Small Business Association. As part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, the emergency lending program was available in stages throughout 2020 and into 2021 to help keep businesses open during the pandemic.

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May 2020

May 2020

Customer Care Center phoneThe Customer Care Center opens to provide rapid resolution to inquiries and enhanced service by a centralized, knowledgeable team.

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June 2020

June 2020

Overland Park, Kansas banking centerFirst State Bank expands retail banking into Kansas with a new banking center in Leawood. The branch, conveniently located adjacent to our mortgage office at 6800 College Boulevard, serves consumers and businesses in the greater Leawood/Overland Park area.

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July 2020

July 2020

New checking account lineup powered by BaZing provides discounts, insurance benefits, and more.

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December 2020

December 2020

Gladstone, Missouri mortgage locationGladstone, MO mortgage office opens to serve customers in the northern Kansas City metropolitan area.

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April 2021

April 2021

Fraud text alert notificationsAccount security is enhanced with the addition of free text alert fraud monitoring service for First State Bank debit cards.

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August 2022

August 2022

First State Bank's online and mobile bankingDigital banking was upgraded online and in our mobile app to include new features such balance monitoring, credit reporting, live chat support, and more.

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July 2023

July 2023

First State Bank's Positive Pay fraud protectionPositive Pay fraud protection for businesses is procured to help protect accounts against fraudulent checks and ACH transactions.