First National Bank in Big Spring

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the First National Bank in Big Spring. Now settle in, because this is a story about money, survival, and two stubborn Texas banks that had to decide whether to fight or join forces. April 19, 1890.

That's the day the First National Bank of Big Spring got its charter. It opened for business on the first floor of a two-story building sitting right at the northwest corner of Second and Clinton streets, which folks now call Main. The bank started with an initial capital of fifty thousand dollars, and it wasn't alone in that building.

The post office took up the south side of the place until 1927, and whatever space was left over got rented out to a whole parade of tenants over the years. One building, a lot of ambition. Then along comes February 28, 1903.

West Texas National Bank gets its charter and opens up on the northeast corner of Second and Main, just down the street from the First National. Now you've got two banks in a small Texas town, eyeing each other across the intersection. West Texas National wasn't finished either.

In 1909 it started construction of a brand new building on the southeast corner of Second and Main. Moving up in the world. The 1920s were prosperous years for both institutions.

Business was good, Big Spring was growing, and the pioneer ranching families tied to these banks were helping build something that looked like it might last forever. Then came the 1930s. The Depression hit, and it hit hard.

Hard times arrived for both banks, the kind of hard times that have a way of clarifying your options real fast. And so, in 1934, the two banks merged. Two rivals, two corners of the same intersection, one future.

They became the First National Bank in Big Spring, and the new institution set up in the former West Texas National Bank building, that southeast corner of Second and Main. Nearly thirty years later, in 1963, the bank moved again, this time to new facilities at the southwest corner of Fourth and Main. The marker gives final credit where it's due.

Those pioneer ranching families involved with the early banks and the merger made a lasting contribution to the growth and prosperity of Big Spring. Two institutions, one Depression, one decision to merge, and a town that kept growing because of the people willing to bet on it.

What the marker says

Chartered on April 19, 1890, the First National Bank of Big Spring opened for business on the first floor of a two-story building at the northwest corner of Second and Clinton (now Main) streets with an initial capital of $50,000. The post office occupied the south side of the building until 1927; the remaining space was rented to a variety of tenants. West Texas National Bank, chartered on February 28, 1903, opened in a building on the northeast corner of Second and Main, and in 1909 began construction of a new building on the southeast corner of Second and Main. The 1920s were prosperous years for the local banks, but the Depression of the 1930s brought hard times to both institutions. In 1934 the two banks merged and became the First National Bank in Big Spring. The new institution occupied the former West Texas National Bank building at the southeast corner of Second and Main. In 1963 the bank moved to new facilities at the southwest corner of Fourth and Main. Pioneer ranching families involved with the early banks and the merger made a lasting contribution to the growth and prosperity of Big Spring. (1990)