Our Journey
The year is 1874. West Virginia is a newly formed state, and the town of Princeton is in shambles after it was burnt to the ground by the fleeing Confederates. The Civil War is over, and the farmers and merchants who call Princeton home know it is time to rebuild. They need a bank, a place where their paychecks can be cashed, where their money can be held and where they can borrow money to rebuild the town. To make that happen, the Straley and McNutt families charter the first bank in southern West Virginia– The Bank of Princeton. This bank is one of the first four banks in the new state. We are a first in this new landscape.
Fast forward through World Wars, depressions, good times, technological advancements. We arrive in 1982. The world moves at a faster pace. It is the year of the computer. Everything is now faster and smaller. The communities need access to cash fast to keep up with the pace. To make that happen, The Bank of Princeton, now known as Princeton Bank & Trust Company, installs “Mini Banks” which are the first ATMs in Southern West Virginia. We are a first in this new landscape.
Press fast forward again. We arrive in 2023. Princeton Bank & Trust Company is now First Community Bank and the world is moving at an even faster pace than 1982. Technologies like the Internet and mobile phones unite the world like never before, only to have terrorism and unexpected pandemics that require a level of creativity, compassion, community and flexibility such as we have never known. What will we do first in this new landscape?