Then & Now
February 6, 2013 6:48PM
The First Trust and Savings Bank opened in 1916. FROM THE DAVID BELDEN COLLECTION
Updated: March 8, 2013 6:19AM
First Trust and Savings Bank, Morris
The First Trust and Savings Bank, shown in the Then photograph, opened Nov. 11, 1916, at the northwest corner of Liberty and Main streets. The first officers of the new bank included J. W. McKinley, president, and Eugene Cryder, vice president. The two-story bank building, 302 N. Liberty St., originally was constructed in 1875 by William Gebhard to house the Morris post office. The year the First Trust and Savings Bank moved into the building, pillars were added to the exterior. In 1918, the bank installed a town clock above the main entrance to the building, which chimed every quarter hour. In 1930, First Trust and Savings Bank merged with First National Bank of Morris. First National Bank operated out of this location until 1967, when the bank moved into its new building at 220 W. Main St. Today, the Morris Coin Shop operates out of the old bank building, shown in the Now photograph.
The Then photograph is from David Belden and the Local History Project digital collections. The Now photograph was taken by Christine O’Brien. Belden is publishing local postcard books with Arcadia Publishing, and is looking for Joliet and Lincoln Highway photos or postcards for a new publication. If you are interested in contributing a postcard image, email dbelden@mchs.net.
