5720 The TEMPE National Bank

1901 - (Feb) Organized - C.G. Jones President, W.H. Wilbur, Cashier
1901 - (Mar) Received Charter #5720, Capital of $25,000
1912 - Moves to what is now Mill Ave / 6th Street
1935 - Acquired by The Phoenix National Bank #4729
1935 - Voluntarily Liquidated, Capital of $50,000




Artistic License: Although this postcard (right) was mailed in 1913, in reality Mill Avenue would not be paved until 1919.




1901 Stock Certificate
Paid Dec. 1935
















1920's Counter Check.






The large number "12" signifies this bank is in the 12th Federal Reserve District. Arizona is split between the 11th and 12th districts. The "91-54" is the assigned American Bankers Association number (this system started around 1910)

Post note-issuing period events;
1937 - Phoenix NB merged into 1st National Bank of Arizona #3728
1949 - Building undergoes major remodel, original design obscured
1981 - Bank rebrands as First Interstate Bank, NA
1996 - First Interstate Bank merged into Wells Fargo Bank, NA
1999 - Wells Fargo absorbed by Norwest, keeps Wells Fargo name
2001 - Branch Closed
2005 - Building renovated, divided into American Apparel and M&I bank
2011 - American Apparel closes
2013 - Bar/Nightclub: "World of Beer" - closes 2016
2016 - Bar/Nightclub: "Wasted Grain"
2017 - Rebranded as Funky Monk (Closes 2018)
           October: Building sold for nearly $4.5 Million
2018 - Re-opens in December as Charlie Trumbull's (Tempe National)

Tempe National Bank, circa 1912 - Below: Early 1930's
So at what location was the bank between its 1901 to 1912? A FaceBook group dedicated to Tempe history recently posted the below picture of Kelly Brother's Saloon, located on the corner of Mill and 5th Street. The post further describes this as the first home of The Tempe National Bank

Over the years a few items from the Tempe National Bank have been acquired. In my time the building was the First National Bank of Arizona, originally with a giant sign spelling out the title, and later with the truncated signage consisting of the number "1" incorporated into the outline of the state. Later it was taken over by Wells Fargo, who soon downsized the branch to an ATM center only before closing it entirely circa 2001. In the lobby they had a framed picture of the original building as well as the charter certificate of The Phoenix National Bank. After closure it lay vacant for several years and became a candidate for demolition. Fortunately, someone awoke to the historical preservation opportunities and in 2005 the building was restored and preserved.

Can I deposit these?





1949: Looking north on Mill Avenue. First National Bank is on the left just before its redux, judging by the movie on the Valley Art's Marquee ("Africa Screams" - released May 27th, 1949)


A 1963 view (before sign-ordinance):





First National Bank of Arizona, circa 1977




















1979 Photo

Above: First Interstate Bank, 1981-1996

Below: Wells Fargo Bank, 1997-2001 

2005 Renovation - Front View













2005 Renovation (viewed from 6th Street)


2007 View - Not quite "good as new" but much improved.
Empty bank building and vault, January 2012

OK, now for the the banknotes. Only one territorial brown back $10 is known. It was sold at auction to for $5400 in 1987. Prior to that, it had changed hands for about $800 in about 1970. This note was sold privately around 2006 for an undisclosed price.

Of the other types, no 1882 date backs are known in either state or territorial issue, likewise with 1882 value backs. Six 1902 Plain Back large size statehood examples are documented, as well as twelve series 1929 issues. While scarce, many have come up for bid or sale during recent times, the notable exception being the only Type 2 $10, which is believed to be tightly held by one of the signer's descendants.

                                             Coastal Banker (1917)

Territorial Issues
Series 1882 Brown Backs - 1 known
10-10-10-20 # 1 - 520

 

                                                   (Hickman & Oaks 1987)

10's = 1560
20's = 520

Series 1882 Date Backs - Unknown
10-10-10-20 # 1 - 910

10's = 2730
20's = 910

Statehood Issues
Series 1882, Date Backs - Unknown
10-10-10-20 # 1 - 380

10's = 1140
20's = 380

Series 1882, Value Backs - Unknown
10-10-10-20 # 381 - 639

10's = 777
20's = 259

Series 1902, Plain Backs - 6 known
10-10-10-20 # 1 - 1615


10's = 4845
20's = 1615


Signers: T.A. (Thanks) Anderson, Cashier - Charles Woolf, President

The above note was discovered circa 1986 during the demolition of an old Tempe house, reportedly found behind a mirror, although it does have several pinholes as well. The finder quickly sold it to a valley coin dealer, who in turn passed it on to another dealer who collected Arizona notes on the side. Ten years later this collection was in turn sold to an investor who planned to fund his future retirement through its later sale . Apparently that future began to arrive in 2018, with the collection disbursed through early 2020, which in the case of this note was 34 years after it's first surfacing.

Series 1929, Type 1 - 10 known
6 x 10 # 1 - 874
6 x 20 # 1 - 246


10's = 5,244
20's = 1,476



Series 1929, Type 2 - 2 known
$10 # 1 - 1572
$20 # 1 - 528

10's = 1,572
20's = 528

Large = 5,720 (Territorials) Amt = $71,500
Large = 9,016 (Statehood) Amt = $112,700
Small = 8,820 (Statehood) Amt = $108,240
Outstanding in 1935 (Total) = $44,400
Large Outstanding in 1935 (Total) = $650