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Throwback Thursday: The Oldest vs. the Longest Lasting State Banks
By Eric D. Tudor
Let’s clear something up that’s tripped up a lot of folks over the years. In downtown Lebanon, there were two different banks with almost the same name – The State Bank and The New State Bank – but their histories couldn’t be more different.
Let’s start with the one most people think of when they hear “the bank on the corner.”
The State Bank on the Corner
Originally founded in 1889 as Laclede County Bank, this bank sat right on the corner of Commercial and Madison. That spot today is home to H&R Block. In 1904 it was reorganized as The State Bank, and that’s the name that stuck for decades. It was led by C.W. Rubey along with W.C. Joslyn, S.F. Lumm, and C.C. Draper. Later on, in the 1960s, the bank moved down to the other end of Commercial Street where you’ll now find the Lebanon R-III School District Administration building. By the 1970s it had been bought out and became Commerce Bank, which has no connection to the earlier State Bank beyond location and memory.
The New State Bank
Now here’s where it gets interesting. The New State Bank was located at 116 West Commercial, just a few doors down from Norman’s Jewelry and Bridal. Today, that same spot is part of Jude’s Café. The New State Bank was founded by I.T. Curry, who moved here from Ava, Missouri, where he had already made a name for himself in banking and publishing. Local shareholders brought him in around 1917 to lead a new financial institution. Though he didn’t own it at first, Curry eventually bought the bank outright and passed it on to his family.
In 1958 the bank moved to the corner of Jefferson and Commercial. By 1967, I.T.’s son George Curry had taken the reins and changed the name to Central Bank to avoid confusion with the other State Bank in town. That rebranding stuck for decades. In 1989 George retired and handed the business over to his son Craig, making it three generations of Curry leadership. The family held onto the bank for more than 80 years, making it the longest locally owned bank in Lebanon history.
Today, the bank operates under the name First State Community Bank, which still gives a nod to its roots. And while the name may have changed, the legacy of the Curry family and their commitment to downtown Lebanon still echoes through those walls.
