History

As you may have already read, Bank Five Nine opened in 1859. During this same year, Oregon was admitted as the 33rd state, ground was broken for the Suez Canal, the elevator was patented, Charles Darwin published “On the Origin of Species”, and Abraham Lincoln still hadn’t been elected President yet!

The history this bank has seen is absolutely remarkable. We’re so proud to continue the tradition of hometown, community banking, the way our organization began, while incorporating the many innovations and improvements that have become commonplace in our lives over the years.

We appreciate you taking the time to learn about who we are as an organization and where we come from. Please feel free to peruse our historical timeline, maybe learning a few more fun facts about Bank Five Nine you can share at dinner parties!

1859
1859
1859

Today’s Bank Five Nine started as Summit Bank in 1859 with $25,000 in capital. Summit Bank was the community’s first bank, 15 years before Oconomowoc became a city. From 1859 to 1870, the bank was located at the site of the old Oconomowoc Library on North Lake Rd. in Oconomowoc.

1868
1868
1868

After surviving an unsuccessful burglary in 1868, Summit Bank moved to our former location at the corner of South Main St. and East Wisconsin Ave.

1889
1889
1889

A new name, Bank of Oconomowoc, was taken on in September of 1889 and incorporated in November of that same year. During this time, The Bank of Oconomowoc had $50,000 in capital.

1963
1963
1963

In 1963, the Bank of Oconomowoc leased the Rand building on South Main St. and remodeled it into a TV drive-in auto bank. This was the first installation of a Diebold TV drive-in unit in the state of Wisconsin.

1982
1982
1982

On August 30, 1982, the Bank of Oconomowoc opened their new auto bank at its present location, 155 W. Wisconsin Ave, Oconomowoc.

1984
1984
1984

In 1984, the Bank of Oconomowoc changed its name to First Bank of Oconomowoc. This was an appropriate name change since the bank was, and remains, the oldest bank in Oconomowoc.

1985
1985
1985

In October 1985, First Bank of Oconomowoc moved from its corner location to the current location at 155 W. Wisconsin Ave.

1994
1994-97
1994-97

The bank’s second Oconomowoc location opened in October of 1994 on Brown St. In December of 1996, their third branch opened in Hartland. The Fourth branch at Shorehaven Tower Retirement Homes in Oconomowoc opened in June of 1996, and the fifth in Hartford on Summer St. in September of 1997.

1998
1998
1998

In September of 1998, the bank changed its name again to First Bank Financial Centre, brought on by continuous growth into a variety of communities. Following this name change, the Hartford branch staff relocated to their current building on Bell Ave.

1999
1999
1999

In December of 1999, we opened our sixth branch in Germantown. The bank had approximately $19M in capital, and assets totaling approximately $240M.