Third oldest bank in state
BARDSTOWN, Ky. (Dec. 14, 2015) — On Dec. 18 Wilson & Muir Bank & Trust will celebrate 150 years of banking in Kentucky. The bank, with more than $450 million is assets, has 10 branches in Nelson, Grayson, Hardin and Jefferson counties and employs more than 130.
“The 150th anniversary is a landmark achievement” said Frank B. Wilson, president and CEO. “It’s something we are very proud of and it is a cause for celebration, not just about our past but because we are very excited about the future of our bank as well. We’re very proud to be the third oldest bank in Kentucky.”
The enactment of the National Banking Act of 1863 and the end of the Civil War gave the opportunity for two Bardstown merchants, Richard D. Shipp and Jeremiah Wilson, to obtain a charter to open the first bank in Nelson County. In February of 1868, ownership interest in the bank was transferred to Bardstown attorney Jasper W. Muir and businessman William Wilson. In 1890 the firm became the Banking House of Wilson & Muir.
The bank’s success has largely been its ability to diversify, according to a press release. In the Grayson County locations of Leitchfield and Big Clifty, focus serves a largely rural and agricultural market. In Hardin County, offices in Elizabethtown and Vine Grove focus on a mix of residential, commercial and retail clients. In Jefferson County, the St. Matthews Office serves residential, retail and professional customers. In Nelson County, offices in Bardstown and Bloomfield serve individuals and locally owned independent businesses as well as large corporations such as the booming bourbon industry.
Add Comment