2594. Bank of West Palm Beach (West Palm Beach, FL)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Run Only
Bank Type
state
Start Date
March 8, 1927
Location
West Palm Beach, Florida (26.715, -80.053)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
ea8c49ea

Response Measures

Full suspension

Other: Armored car brought cash from Miami to meet withdrawals; postal-savings rumor triggered a separate run among Black depositors.

Description

Articles from March 1927 describe heavy withdrawals and a run on the Bank of West Palm Beach coinciding with the closing/suspension of several nearby banks. The contemporaneous reports mention runs and heavy withdrawals but do not state that the Bank of West Palm Beach itself suspended or was placed in receivership, so the best classification is a run that did not (in these articles) lead to suspension/closure. Cause is contagion from nearby bank closures and local panic.

Events (2)

1. March 8, 1927 Run
Cause
Local Banks
Cause Details
Runs triggered by closing/suspension of nearby leading banks in the Palm Beach district; panic and heavy withdrawals from other local banks spread to the Bank of West Palm Beach.
Measures
Armored car brought cash from Miami to meet withdrawals; banks posted notices of suspension (other banks).
Newspaper Excerpt
Runs on the Farmers' Bank and the Bank of West Palm Beach such that an armored car was from Miami bearing cash for panicky depositors
Source
newspapers
2. March 16, 1927 Other
Newspaper Excerpt
A long line staged steady run ... for heavy withdrawals Postal Savings Department ... The run followed closely on the ... run the Bank of West Palm Beach (reporting continued local panic among depositors, including postal savers).
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (4)

Article from Vero Beach Journal, July 25, 1926

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Article Text

BANKS CLOSINGS Flowed Florida Money Banks into Georgia Causing the Trouble The story of banking failures is of and in Florida one Georgia it involves the same terest because the downfall that worked principles where one in other states of banks bank trust dominating or lot of subordiunder its wing drew which to operate nate banks were feeders to the mother institution. banks as such are Florida But for the sound. and conof Georgia orgin bank system trol there would have scarcely been ripple on the financial sea of Florhas and that the calm come ida. Now more clearly the are seeing people Banks review the situation. well to entirely free locality being in this Georgia entanglements from the tained the confidence of the home ple whose institutions they are. of all banking the criterion From the Washington comes institutions at of Governor Crissinger, statement that Florreserve board, the federal fundamentally, and Georgia are ida W. McIntosh, sound. And attributes the trolled of the currency, the long chain of recent losing and Georgia to banks in Florida methods of that banking like ticular Florida, and troller Amos, state banking Bennett, that these Gorgia, predicts ent of will for the most part banks in the chain that banks not and be affected. not Can Be Told with his Sir Phillips Gibbs, Like after of the great war inside story be told" to "now it can the armistice, ready for reason. quiet minds Why the banks in Georgia and to close banks in Florida came the 27 the Bankers' is laid to their doors which of Atlanta, Trust Company for these banks acted fiscal agent as federal receivership and for whic ha jury in granted. A grand has been court in AtlanFulton county superior the of ordered to investigate ta has been Trust Com< of the Bankers' "failure instructed to and has been pany" its duty if violation of the state laws, is found." note the steps interesting to It is through which the series of closing Florida the first closing In passed. bank in Daytonia Beach, that of was the result of run which was of the ioned by the gathering their for to withdraw money teachers home during the for their departure An excitable months. summer of teachers lined the handful saw up to get their small deposits few and the bank!" In cried run on and an actual hours the news spread did result. of run West Palmi Followed closings at Beach, Palm Beach Buena Vista, Cocoanut Grove, Homestead and Dade City. The scene shifted to the town of loctaed bank where was Umatilla, capital of $30,000, with reported delesurplus of $20,000, and deposits of $430.00 and $480,000 placed with the Bankers' Trust Company of Atlanta. Hotel it shows that If the report be true, the entire bank's capital, surplus all placed with the deposits were ent organization in Georgia. On Page Eight Continued JULY TIDES Local tides are approximately earlier than the hours below which is for the table given nearest standard port. Water Water High Day 3:01 25 26 10:34 11:27 4:45 27 5:45 6:50 0:31 1:14 6:50 1:14 2:00 2:18 8:02 30


Article from The Brooklyn Daily Times, March 8, 1927

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Article Text

Big Run on Banks in Florida When 3 Close Their Doors By United Press West Palm Beach Fla. March -Three leading banks of the Palm Beach District closed their doors toand started one of the most frenzied runs in the history of Florida finance Midday found streets jammed with depositors seeking to save their money by withdrawing It from remaining banks of the city Runs on the Farmers' Bank and the Bank of West Palm Beach such that an armored car was from Miami bearing cash for panicky depositors No sooner had the First American Bank and Trust Company posted notice that business was suspended for the protection of depositors than two other institutions Northwood Bank and Trust Company of West Palm Beach and the First Bank and Trust Company of Palm Beach. Heavy withdrawals on all three banks during the past eight or ten months and unsettled conditions of affairs in this part of the State were given as reasons for the closing.


Article from Nashville Banner, March 14, 1927

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Article Text

THREE OF FLORIDA'S BANKS CLOSE DOORS Delray, Lakeworth and West Palm Beach the Points Affected to Its & of ness this city and funds and of one had throng in the "Generally Good.' the national national in


Article from Brooklyn Eagle, March 16, 1927

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Article Text

'Uncle Sam Failing' Starts Negro Run on Postal Bank West Palm Beach, Fla., March 16 (P)-A long line staged steady run the United States Post. office here for heavy withdrawals Postal Savings Department from the today following widely through the negro sections through the night that "the Governgoing broke." 100 the More than negroes of the Building at the increased rapidly for several with mild but the line dwindled. negro ministers, together with fare workers, the depositors to keep their funds but their were The run followed closely on the the Trust Company here the run the Bank of West Palm Beach the same the height of run today ploring of his tion keep his funds the ernment, by the ter that "Uncle Sam was losing The minister his futile and his line to withdraw his savings.