Banks – Miscellaneous Facts and Stories

History Repeats Itself – Example - Banks change their names

This list is not definitive, nor does it include information on when all the banks were organized or what happened to them.

In Buffalo County:

First Bank of Armada, 1887, became the First Bank of Miller when the town moved in
1890

First Farmers State Bank of Amherst was reorganized as First National Bank of Amherst
This is the bank that was robbed when the robbers burned the schoolhouse
March 17, 1928
Bank was liquidated in 1942 after the operator of the bank, Art Reynolds, died
He was father of Norma Ahrendts, uncle of Ruth Shini

The Elm Creek Banking Company, in existence in 1886, had been reorganized by 1890 as
the First National Bank of Elm Creek.

In Shelton George Meisner started a private bank, the Meisner Bank.
It was reorganized in 1889 to be the First National Bank of Shelton.
This lasted until 1894 when it was again reorganized as the Meisner Bank
Although not controlled by him this time

In Kearney:

The More Bank (probably the first bank)
     - private bank started by L R More, 1873
     - operated out of More & Sunderland lumber yard
W P P St Clair & Company’s Banking House
     - also organized in 1873
     - located at Tenth & Wyoming (now 21st & Central)
Kearney State Bank - organized in 1876
     - C W Dake, president
     - Dake was leader of group who established the Kearney to Black Hills stage and

           mail line. Bank failed in 1879 largely due to loses in this venture.

7 banks during the boom period, 2 of which survived the bust:
Kearney National Bank, organized 1882
Buffalo County National Bank
First National Bank of Kearney
Commercial and Savings Bank
Kearney Savings Bank

Two survived the bust:
Farmers Bank, J. G. Lowe, president (he was also paymaster for the cotton mill)
City National Bank
     - George Meisner became president a few months before his death March 2, 1909.

Commercial National Bank, organized 1907.
     - D Wort was an organizer and member of board of directors


Today (2002) 6 full service banks in Kearney:
Kearney State Bank
Nebraska National Bank
Platte Valley State Bank and Trust
First Federal Lincoln Bank - started as a Savings and Loan but with the same First
Fed. Lincoln name
U S Bank - formerly FirstTier, then First Bank
Wells Fargo Bank - formerly First National Bank of Kearney


The bank building at 21st & Central - built in 1890, 3rd floor removed in 1950s
City National Bank
Fort Kearney State Bank
Fort Kearney National Bank
First National Bank