Since 1867
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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.
March 28, 1867
A 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.
May 10, 1867
St. Charles Savings Bank is chartered.
May 20, 1867
St. 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.
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.
1870
U.S. Federal Census population of St. Charles County – 21,304
1871
The second railroad bridge to cross the Missouri River opens at St. Charles.
February 27, 1876
Tornado 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.
March 10, 1876
Inventor Alexander Graham Bell speaks the first words to his assistant on the telephone, “Mr. Watson—come here—I want to see you.”
April 20, 1878
New 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.
1885
St. Joseph Hospital opens in St. Charles by Sisters of St. Mary.
1893
SCSB weathers the Panic of 1893 when 15,000 American businesses—including 500 banks—failed.
February 1900
Construction on St. Charles County Courthouse starts.
April 30-December 1, 1904
St. 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.
1904-1932
Streetcars are a transportation mode in St. Charles.
1907
St. 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.
January 2, 1908
Bank moves to 121 North Main Street .
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.
1916
St. 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.
1920
U.S. Federal Census population of St. Charles County —22,828
1929-39
SCSB 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.
1958
First span of Interstate Highway 70 bridge opens in St. Charles
1959
St. 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.
1960
U.S. Federal Census population of St. Charles County — 52,970
May 1967
St. 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.
September 1968
Drive-thru at Fifth and Washington opens in response to customer needs
November 20, 1968
First 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.
May 1971
Fifth 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.
August 1973
First State Bank opens Highway 94 branch. The new branch (housed in a mobile home) hosts the bank’s second drive-thru.
November 1973
“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.
1974
FSB rolls out “You Are Thumbody Special” campaign as an effort to let bank customers know they are as individual as fingerprints.
1975
Highway 94 facility is remodeled and enlarged.
1976
Jean 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.
1980s
First 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.
1980
U.S. Federal Census population of St. Charles County —144,107
October 1983
Bank 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.
1988
First State Bank signs agreement with INVEST Financial Corporation to offer investment products at the bank.
1990
The Internet develops as the world’s computer network. By 2015, 3.2 billion people use the Internet globally.
December 14, 1990
O’Fallon Community Banking Center opens.
2000
U.S. Federal Census population of St. Charles County –283,883
January 30, 2000
St. Louis Rams win Super Bowl XXXIV against the Tennessee Titans.
2001
First State Bank offers ATM/Check Card product line.
2002
First State Bank’s first ATM is installed at Highway 94 branch.
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.
February 2003
First State Bank unveils first website.
2004
First State Bank replaces existing Highway 94 facility with a complete branch office.
February 4, 2004
Social media website, FaceBook, is launched. In 2016 the site has more than 1.79 billion users.
May 20, 2006
Lake 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.
December 2007 -June 2009
First 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.
2010
U.S. Federal Census population of St. Charles County —360,485
March 2010
Acquire mortgage group to grow mortgage lending division in St. Charles County, St. Louis County (Chesterfield), as well as Osage Beach (Lake of the Ozarks).
March 2011
First State Bank connects with customers for the first time via FaceBook.
October 28, 2011
The St. Louis Cardinals cinch the MLB World Series against the Texas Rangers.
February 2012
Open Chesterfield mortgage office to support strategic growth of mortgage business through expanded market coverage.
July 2012
Two loan production offices open in the Kansas City area to expand our market presence in the area.
December 10, 2012
Chesterfield (Baxter Road) branch opens, the first branch located outside St. Charles County.
January 2016
The Phoenix, AZ mortgage office hosted an open house announcing their grand opening at their new facility. This is the first office outside the Midwest.
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.
2017
Luanne 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.
May 10, 2017
First 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.
2018
First State Bank’s INVEST team of financial advisors becomes First State Wealth Advisors.
2018
First State Bank offers more convenience to customers by accepting digital mortgage loan applications.
Summer 2019
First State Bank Mortgage opens the Tonganoxie, Kansas location.
August 2019
First State Bank makes sending money to family and friends fast, safe, and easy by partnering with Zelle®.
Spring 2020
First 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.
April 2020
First 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.
May 2020
The Customer Care Center opens to provide rapid resolution to inquiries and enhanced service by a centralized, knowledgeable team.
June 2020
First 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.
July 2020
New checking account lineup powered by BaZing provides discounts, insurance benefits, and more.
December 2020
Gladstone, MO mortgage office opens to serve customers in the northern Kansas City metropolitan area.
April 2021
Account security is enhanced with the addition of free text alert fraud monitoring service for First State Bank debit cards.
August 2022
Digital banking was upgraded online and in our mobile app to include new features such balance monitoring, credit reporting, live chat support, and more.
July 2023
Positive Pay fraud protection for businesses is procured to help protect accounts against fraudulent checks and ACH transactions.