Bank of Florence

Infobox_nrhp | name =Bank of Florence
nrhp_type =


caption =
location= Omaha, NE
lat_degrees = 41 | lat_minutes = 20 | lat_seconds = 14.72 | lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 95 | long_minutes = 57 | long_seconds = 38.01 | long_direction = W
area =
built =1856
architect= Unknown
architecture= Greek Revival
added = October 15, 1969
governing_body = Private
refnum=69000130 cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2007-01-23|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service] The Bank of Florence was an early wildcat bank located at 8502 North 30th Street in Florence, Nebraska Territory. After originally opening in the 1850s, it closed and reopened in 1904. Today the building that housed the bank is on the National Register of Historic Places, and is the oldest building in Omaha. [ [http://www.ci.omaha.ne.us/landmarks/designated_landmarks/landmarks/46/Default.htm Bank of Florence] City of Omaha website.]

About

The Town of Florence was founded on the ruins of Winter Quarters, with dozens of small buildings still intact from the early Mormon pioneer settlement. The town was a speculator's dream, and quickly built. [Reeves, R. (n.d.) [http://casde.unl.edu/history/counties/douglas/omaha/ "Douglas County History"] . University of Nebraska.]

The Bank of Florence was built as a wildcat bank for speculators to make an easy profit. Many of the early investors included members of the land company that founded the nearby town of Saratoga, as well as local businessmen. When the Panic of 1857 hit, many local townspeople and farmers were financially drained. [Bristow, D. (1997) A Dirty, Wicked Town: Tale of 19th Century Omaha. Caxton Press.]

The building reopened as the Second Bank of Florence in 1904, and was restored as a landmark in the 1980s.

References

External links

* [http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/numismatics/survivin/103.htm A photo of a dollar issued by the Bank of Florence] from Smithsonian Institute National Museum of American History.
* [http://www.historicflorence.org/Attractions/bank.htm History of the Bank of Florence] Historic Florence website. An exhaustive detailing of the bank's history.
* [http://www.historicflorence.org/History/JamesMonroeParker.htm James Monroe Parker] Historic Florence website. Founding manager of the Bank of Florence.