Close

HISTORY

Timeline

1814:
James Wright Jr. and James Mifflin build this three-story Federalist style townhouse.
1822:
Christian Haldeman purchases the property. Joseph Cottrell and Manus Holbrook open a tavern and hotel, The Mansion House.
1841:
Christian Haldeman dies in the house. The house is purchased by William Atkins for his residence.
1852:
Gerhardt Brandt purchases the property, again, as a hotel: The National House Hotel. Brandt rents the corner of the property to Solomon & Daniel Detwiler. It becomes Detwiler Brothers Bank.
1860:
Solomon Detwiler buys the entire property and moves his residence into the remaining portion.
1864:
As part of the National Bank Law, the Detwilers charter their bank with $100,000 capital. The First National Bank of Columbia becomes the 371st bank chartered in the USA.
1897:
Solomon dies, leaving the property to his wife, Mary Catherine. His son, Horace, assumes management of the bank.
1915:
Mary Catherine dies, leaving the property to the children, Horace and Effie, both remain living in the home.
1917:
FNB of C merges with Columbia National Bank, becoming First-Columbia National Bank. This bank moves up the street to 229 Locust Street.
1925:
Effie offers the Columbia Women’s Club the corner portion of property to establish the new home for The Columbia Free Public Library.
1938:
Horace dies, leaving his share of the property to Effie.
1954:
Effie dies, leaving the property to The Columbia Free Public Library.
1958:
Lloyd & Jean Motter purchase the property from The Columbia Free Public Library.
1961:
The Library moves to its newly built facility on Sixth Street.
1967:
The Motters restore the bank and re-open it as The First National Bank Museum.
1997:
Upon the deaths of Lloyd & Jean Motter, their daughter, Nora, and husband, Michael Stark, purchase the property and, to this day, manage and operate the museum, continuing the restoration.