DUANE
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Duane's take
The way the marker tells it, here's what happened on this spot in Crosbyton. Now, every town worth its salt needs a place to keep that salt, and Crosbyton got its first one in 1909. That's when First State Bank opened its doors, soon renamed First National, inside a brand new two-story concrete block and stone building.
The C. B. Livestock Company put that building up, built for banking and office use.
Cattle money raising up a bank building. That's Crosby County for you. But here's where the story gets a little more layered.
There was another bank already out there. Citizens National Bank, established in 1905, had been operating over in Emma, which was the county seat at the time. In 1917, Citizens National made its move, purchased this very property, and set up shop right here.
So now you've got two banks standing in the same county, carrying years of history between them. And they coexisted, until December 14, 1929, when the two banks merged into one. Time kept moving, and in 1952 a new bank building rose up right over the original basement and part of that old foundation.
New walls, same ground. There's something to that. By 1965, the men guiding this institution were R.
A. Jefferies, Russell McCurdy, John Hughes, Leslie Mitchell, James C. Reed, and John Brown.
Their names on the record, their bank rooted in a foundation that goes all the way back to the beginning of this town's story.
What the marker says
Site of Crosbyton's first bank. In 1909, First State Bank (soon named First National) opened in a new two-story concrete block and stone building, erected by C. B. Livestock Company. For bank, office use. In 1917, Citizens National Bank (est. 1905) purchased the property upon its move here from Emma, then county seat. December 14, 1929, the two banks merged. A new bank building was erected over the original basement and part of the old foundation in 1952. Present stockholders and directors are: R. A. Jefferies, Russell McCurdy, John Hughes, Leslie Mitchell, James C. Reed, John Brown. 1965