CHARTERED1904
1904
3Bank
Employees
$240,159Bank
Assets Yr End
1,991River Falls Population
1912
1904
January 4, 1904 – First National Bank receives federal bank charter
1904
January 7, 1904 – First National Bank opens for business
1904
June 1904 – First National Bank moves to 107 N. Main St. where it will stay for 70 years
(One of the first bank ads in the newspaper.)
1905
March 23, 1905 – G.T. Smith becomes president of bank
1913
4Bank
Employees
$406,672Bank
Assets Yr End
2,273River Falls Population
1920
1914
January 13, 1914 – First National Bank joins the new Federal Reserve
1915
January 1915 – The bank celebrates 5 years without a single loan default
(Main Street River Falls end of World War I celebration, 1918, to welcome home all those who served.
Jefferson Smith, was among those who served.)
1921
7Bank
Employees
$717,513Bank
Assets Yr End
2,363River Falls Population
1930
1924
1924 – First National Bank installs safe deposit boxes
1927
A.W. Lund is elected bank president until ill health forces his retirement in 1929
1927
G.T. Smith finally moves to California, 44 years after “stopping for a while” in River Falls
1929
J.F. Smith is elected bank president
1931
6Bank
Employees
$1,080,657Bank
Assets Yr End
2,500River Falls Population
1938
1932
December 1932 – First National Bank is asked (too late) to acquire the Depression-crippled Farmers & Merchants Bank
1933
February 1933 – Farmers & Merchants Bank closes permanently
(Original loan note the bank used)
1934
June 1934 – First National Bank joins the newly created FDIC
1936
February 26, 1936 – Huge Open House celebrates enlarged, remodeled First National Bank office
1939
10Bank
Employees
$3,452,803Bank
Assets Yr End
2,806River Falls Population
1945
1940
1940 – The bank installs its first night depository
1942
1942-1943 – Board reschedules its meetings to occur when board member Lt. Col. Ken White is home on furlough
1943
January 1943 – County banks agree to reduce interest rates to 1%
1946
11Bank
Employees
$3,604,218Bank
Assets Yr End
3,877River Falls Population
1955
1946
The bank begins make GI loans to returning servicemen
1950
1950s – First National Bank begins offering use of the bank for River Falls Garden Club annual flower show
1950
Logo updated and stylized for the 1950’s
1950
1950's - David M. Smith joins the bank as a teller
1951
Interest rates are raised to 1.5% and 2%
1952
April 1952 – Bank begins opening Friday evenings 7-9 p.m.
1956
10Bank
Employees
$5,528,154Bank
Assets Yr End
4,857River Falls Population
1963
1956
Bank building is remodeled inside and out
1963
December 24, 1963 – President J.F. Smith dies three weeks before he was to announce his retirement
1964
18Bank
Employees
$13,278,815Bank
Assets Yr End
7,238River Falls Population
1970
1964
David M. Smith is elected bank president
1965
March 1965 – A revolving red “1st” sign with time and temperature is installed on the front of the bank.
1971
33Bank
Employees
$36,374,755Bank
Assets Yr End
7,238River Falls Population
1978
1972
Donna Mae Smith elected to the Board of Directors, where she remains a lead for the next 40 years
1972
President David Smith is elected to 9th District Federal Reserve Board
1974
Bank moves into its new building at the corner of Main & Locust
1974
First drive-up teller window in River Falls opens in new bank building
1977
First computer is installed in the bank
1979
48Bank
Employees
$91,082,053Bank
Assets Yr End
9,019River Falls Population
1988
1982
The First National Bank establishes its own in-house mortgage department
1983
First ATM machine in River Falls is installed at First National Bank
1989
71Bank
Employees
$169,256,189Bank
Assets Yr End
10,610River Falls Population
1998
1992
Patti Smith Neir and Sandy Smith Wurm are elected to the Board of Directors.
1993
January 19, 1993 – Prescott Office of First National Bank opens for business
1994
August 13, 1994 – Bank President David M. Smith dies unexpectedly
1994
September 1994 - Donna Mae Smith was elected as Board Chair, and Phil Betzel became CEO and President
1995
First National Bank is one of the first River Falls businesses to have an Internet website
1997
Prescott Office expansion requires construction of new, larger building
1999
83Bank
Employees
$250,000,000Bank
Assets Yr End
12,560River Falls Population
2008
1999
January 1999 – Tom Palmer joins the First National Bank as its president
2000
August 2000 – First National Bank begins offering Internet banking
2004
January 4, 2004 – First National Bank celebrates its first century of service
2006
September 20, 2006 UW River Falls Office of First National Bank opens for business.
2009
73Bank
Employees
$276,881,000Bank
Assets Yr End
15,800River Falls Population
2019
2009
July 2009 – Jeff Johnson joins the First National Bank as its president
2009
September 2009 – First annual FNBRF 5K
2014
June 13, 2014 – Opening night FNBRF Baseball Field
2015
September 19, 2015 – David Smith Stadium at Ramer Field rededication
2017
Summer 2017 – River Falls Office renovations complete
2018
January 19, 2018 – Prescott Office celebrates 25 years
2020 & BEYOND
FNBRF looks to the future to partner with community members throughout the St. Croix Valley!
We’re committed to serving you!