History of the Bank of Eureka Springs
Bank of Eureka Springs opened its doors May 4, 1912, with a state charter in hand, at 75 Spring Street in the former Clark and Klock Building. The bank survived several panics, the Great Depression, and two World Wars. In 1946, at our new location, 40 Spring Street, it was the only bank remaining in Eureka Springs out of a half dozen or more started since the town's founding in 1879.
Milestone - 1966
The McGinnis property was purchased in 1966 at 70 South Main, along with adjacent parking lot space, where the downtown building sits. The new bank building, complete with a historic tile floor in the lobby and the original oak desk and chairs used by the former bank president, Claude Fuller, in his early 20th century law office, opened on November 25, 1967. The bank had the first free parking, the first drive-up window, and the first community room in the county. Subsequently, the first branch in the county was opened at the New Town location on Highway 62 East in 1980 and the first financial institution branch at Holiday Island in 1985.
Milestone - 1978
The downtown bank was enlarged and remodeled for Eureka's Centennial in 1979, with the look of a truly historical bank with stone used from the same quarry that provided stone for many of Eureka's buildings. Many of the furnishings were original with the vault door from 75 Spring Street incorporated in the construction of the bookkeeping vault. The bank published its first Historical Calendar in 1978, created specifically for the purpose of encouraging restoration and preservation of historical buildings and sites, a theme to be reinforced by a Restoration of the Month Award.
Milestone - 1995
In 1995 a two-story addition to the south was completed, which doubled the size of the downtown facility, with the Victorian theme still in place. Chairman John F. Cross proudly welcomed his son to the bank in 1996 representing the fifth generation of the Cross-Fuller family to serve the Eureka Springs community.
Milestone - 2002
Charles T. Cross was named President of Bank of Eureka Springs in May, 2002. That same day, Bank of Eureka Springs broke ground for the Financial Center for what was to become the bank's main office, located at 152 E Van Buren. This 17,000 square foot building is the pride of Bank of Eureka Springs, featuring a state of the art, full service banking facility, including an internet café, brokerage services and training facility that is utilized by local organizations. The Financial Center was opened for business in December, 2003.
Milestone - 2006
Expanding yet again, the bank broke ground for our newest facility, the Holiday Island Financial Center located at 1 Parkwood Drive, in June, 2005, opening for business in February, 2006. Like our Financial Center in Eureka Springs, this 5,000 square foot building features full service banking at its best including brokerage services, an internet café, training facility, and of course all the deposit and lending services you'll also find at our Eureka Springs location.
It has long been our feeling that the bank belongs to the people of this community. We do not speak lightly when we say that our bank is the only bank Eureka Springs and Holiday Island can call their own. With the consolidation today in banking, it is our belief that many people are still looking for a locally owned community bank. Our customers are proud to say "Hey, that's my bank!"
