8520. First National Bank (Gaithersburg, MD)

Bank Information

Episode Type
Suspension → Reopening
Bank Type
national
Bank ID
4608
Charter Number
4608
Start Date
February 25, 1933
Location
Gaithersburg, Maryland (39.143, -77.201)

Metadata

Model
gpt-5-mini
Short Digest
498968b3

Response Measures

None

Description

The First National Bank of Gaithersburg was closed as part of the statewide three-day gubernatorial bank holiday (government action) beginning Feb 25, 1933, and reopened with normal operations by March 15, 1933. Articles explicitly state there was no run on this bank during the depression/holiday.

Events (3)

1. July 30, 1891 Chartered
Source
historical_nic
2. February 25, 1933 Suspension
Cause
Government Action
Cause Details
Closed under Governor Albert C. Ritchie's three-day statewide banking holiday to permit enactment of protective legislation.
Newspaper Excerpt
First National Bank of Gaithersburg ... closed by the Governor's order
Source
newspapers
3. March 15, 1933 Reopening
Newspaper Excerpt
The First National Bank of Gaithersburg ... resumed business on a normal basis; opened for business when given the assurance that the license would be granted today.
Source
newspapers

Newspaper Articles (3)

Article from Evening Star, February 25, 1933

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Article Text

MONTGOMERYCALM IN BANK SITUATION Officials of 11 Institutions in County Say Depositors Are Not Worried. Citizens of Montgomery County calmly accepted today the situation which has led to the temporary closing of banking institutions throughout the State of Maryland. Officials of the 11 banks located in that community declared at noon that the act of Gov. Albert c. Ritchie in proclaiming a three-day "bank holiday" to permit the enactment of protective legislation for both depositors and banking interests has occasioned no alarm among their depositors. Without exception the officials declared their own institutions to be in a sound financial condition, and said that no heavy withdrawals had been made on their banks. They indicated that the "unusually heavy w drawals" osing which led to the State-w. order had been made on the banks in Baltimore City. Numerous telephone calls were received the banks of the throughout by morning, but the the county of calls obwere made for the sole purpose taining information additional to that carried in the newspapers, they said. A few persons who had not learned of the three-day holiday in banking circles appeared at the institutions this morning, read the notice which had been on the closed doors to the the susuntil unpended effect posted that business institutions Wednesday had der the Governor's order and turned quietly away. Not Excitement Whatever. "There has been no excitement whatsoever," one banking official declared. "The people have read of situations similar to that in Maryland which led to the recent closing of the banks of Louisiana and Michigan and have gracefully accepted the announcement of the three-day holiday in this State." The principal embarrassment. it was learned, has been in the meeting of pay rolls. A number of firms were said to have been unable to pay their employes in cash and were forced to issue checks on their county banks, which cannot be cashed, of course, until after the holiday is suspended. Included in this group were county officials and county employes. who received their wages in check form this morning, but were unable to cash them at the county banks on which they were drawn. State Senator Robert G. Hilton. who is president of the Farmers Bank & Trust Co. of Rockville, said this morning: "I feel satisfied that the State Legislature will take up the matter when it reconvenes on and I have no promptly day evening, which doubt Mon- that will plan will be devised serious to prevent some any embarrassment State." any of the banks of the Business to Be Supplied. of the banks made arthis morning to rangements A number supply with business houses in their community change needed in their business. They also announced that business houses would be permitted to leave their money at the banks over the week-end for safekeeping. but that the money would not be accepted as regular deposits. The banks in Montgomery County closed by the Governor's order are the Citizens Bank of Takoma Park, Silver Spring National Bank, Farmers' Bank & Trust Co. of Rockville and its Kensington branch, Montgomery County National Bank of Rockville, First National Bank of Gaithersburg, First National Bank of Sandy Spring, Sandy Spring Savings Institution, Germantown Bank, Bank of Bethesda and the Damascus Bank. UVATTSVILE


Article from Evening Star, March 15, 1933

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Article Text

BANKS IN NEARBY COUNTIES REOPEN Most Neighboring Virginia and Maryland Institutions on Normal Basis. With a majority of the banks functioning on a normal basis, "business as usual" was the slogan in the Maryland and Virginia counties around Washington today. Shortly after their doors opened, bankers of the various counties reported deposits were "heavier than usual. while withdrawals were described as "normal," indicating the experience which Washington's banks had yesterday was being repeated on a smaller scale today in Maryland and Virginia. As President Roosevelt's progressive program for reopening the Nation's financial institutions reached its third stage, the restored confidence which has been so evident in the financial centers and big towns of the country during the past two days, reached the rural areas and small towns this morning. Others to Open Later. Marylanders were particularly happy to have their banks functioning again, as they have been closed by gubernatorial holiday proclamations since February 25. Virginia banks had only suspended operations during the national holiday, which began March 6. State Bank Commissioner John J. Ghingher of Maryland emphasized, in announcing the list of banks licensed to reopen, that those not included were not necessarily unsound and probably would be permitted to resume functioning in the near future. The commissioner issued licenses for 96 State banks and expects to have more time to examine the unlicensed ones with a view to reopening them in the next few days. Ten of the 11 banks in Montgomery County whose doors have been closed during the holiday reopened for business this morning, with the other institution awaiting action by the Federal Reserve Bank in Richmond on its application to resume normal operation. With the exception of the Farmers' Banking & Trust Co. of Rockville and the Bank of Damascus the 10 institutions open for business were operating with no restrictions on withdrawals. A 2 per cent limit has been placed on withdrawals from the Farmers' Banking & Trust Co. and the Bank of Damascus. Eight on Normal Basis. The eight banks that resumed business on a normal basis are the First National Bank of Gaithersburg, Citizens' Bank of Takoma Park, Takoma Park Bank. Germantown Bank, Bank of Bethesda. First National Bank of Sandy Spring, Sandy Spring Savings Institution and the Silver Spring National Bank. Officials of the First National Bank of Gaithersburg said this morning that they have not yet received their license from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, but opened for business when given the assurance that the license would be granted today. The Montgomery County National Bank of Rockville was not open this morning, but the cashier of the institution declared that application had been made with the Federal Reserve Bank for a license to operate on a normal basis with no restrictions on withdrawals. Ira C. Whitacre, cashier, Silver Spring National Bank said, "We opened this morning on a 100 per cent basis and (Continued on Page 5, Column 3.)


Article from Montgomery County Sentinel, July 5, 1956

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Article Text

G'burg Bank's Anniversary Almost Missed The 65th anniversary of the First National Bank of Gaithersburg almost slipped by unnoticed by the bank's president. Leonard H. Hoyle says he 'didn't realize Sunday was the bank's birthday until he began receiving baskets of flowers and congratulatory telegrams. No special celebration is being planned. The Gaithersburg bank was founded July 1, 1891. Its first president was Upton Darby, the first cashier R. B. Moore. The original assets totaled $50,000, put up by the directors and subscribers. The bank at first concentrated on commercial ventures. The savings department was added later. Following the 1933 bank holiday, the Gaithersburg bank was one of the first institutions to reopen. Mr. Hoyle reports that there was no run on the bank during the depression and it remained solvent throughout. The First National Bank of Gaithersburg moved from Diamond Avenue to a modern new office on Summit Avenue, May 3, 1952. The new building includes a bomb proof vault in the basement and a drive-in tellers window.