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In the Beginning...
Citizens State Bank started as a private bank in Lena, IL sometime in the 1880’s. It was known as the Waite & Hinds Banking Company being named for the founders, Charles Waite and Judge Hinds.
In 1920 the bank was incorporated, received the State Banking Charter, and started building a new bank building. Due to some union problems, the new bank building was not completed until over two years had passed. That building was on the corner of Schuyler and Main Streets in the building now known as the Coffee House.
Mr. John Dunn, Mr. Harold Hinds, and Miss Florence Altenbern were the entire staff from its incorporation until 1936. Then "The Great Depression" struck all the banks and the bank had to be closed. Citizens State Bank was one of the first banks in Stephenson County to reopen with no losses to the depositors. At that time additional personnel was added and growth became inevitable.
More Recent...
In 1966 the bank moved into a building at the present site. We completed another building project in 1996 which enlarged and remodeled the existing bank, and a branch location in Stockton, IL was added in 1998. A beautiful new branch is scheduled to open in Freeport, IL in late 2008.
The present assets are over $169,000,000.00 with loans of over $110,000,000.00 and employees numbering nearly 50 full time and part time. Compared to 1920 when the assets were $577,052.00 and loans of $372,688.00 with 3 employees, this is quite a change. During the same period, we have gone from the pen and ink entries on all the books to leading edge technology.
Throughout, we remain, Confident, Courteous, and Close By!
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