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Additional information |
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First State Bank |
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History:
The First State Bank of Hockerville, Oklahoma, was issued a Certificate of Incorporation on June 10, 1918 in Hockerville, Oklahoma. The town of Hockerville came into existance in 1916 when lead and zinc were discovered there. It was a mining boom town that quickly sprang up and reached a population of more than 1500. The original incorporators of the bank were R.M. Chambers, Quapaw,Ok,; L.W. Goings, Douthat, Ok.; S.J. Chambers, Quapaw,Ok.; T.R. Hocker, Baxter, Ks; Matilda Hocker, Baxter, Ks. and Ross R. Bayless, Miami, Ok. This was issued by Graves Leeper, Secretary of State and C.S. Storms, acting Governor.
On February 10, 1930, the First State Bank of Hockerville was granted approval by the State of Oklahoma Banking Department to move to Picher. The Bank opened for business in Picher in a building on Main and Second streets. The Bank remained at this location until the early 1950's when it was forced to relocate due to the land underneath it being condemned. The Bank was 25 feet above the long abandoned Netta Mine and directly over the cave-in danger zone. Ralph Chambers, the President at the time, said that the bank was keeping duplicate records and one set of records was being stored off-site in case the ground would collapse under the bank.
On February 22, 1950 the bank moved to 306 South Connell Avenue, into the old American Hospital building. The building had been remodeled and had a large steel vault. The bank was at this location until it built a brand new bank building at 301 South Connell in 1978.
On August 15, 2007, the bank purchased and moved into the IBC Bank Branch Building at 101 North Mickey Mantle Blvd. in Commerce, Oklahoma. This move was necessary since the Lead Impacted Community Relocation Assistance Trust (LICRAT) was buying out all property in the City of Picher to help solve the lead and zinc contamination and subsidence problems caused by the heavy mining of the area. LICRAT was a joint effort by the State of Oklahoma and the U.S. Federal Government to solve this EPA contaminated site.
The First State Bank has found a new home in Commerce and is delighted to be at our new location. |
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Formerly known as:
First State Bank, Picher, Okla |
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