On April 4, 1900 The Comptroller of the Currency authorized The City National Bank of Colorado City to “commence the business of banking”. Many things have changed in the last 120 years but our basic principles remain.

Originally chartered as “The City National Bank of Colorado” (before the city was renamed to “Colorado City”), the bank later merged with The Colorado National Bank. Operations continued on in Mitchell County as City National Bank of Colorado City.

In 2019, the City National Bank opened a location in San Angelo, TX to better serve the local communities.

The employees, officers and directors feel an obligation to those who have come before us. We will continue to honor the trust they have placed in us. We are proud of the opportunity to serve our customers and the communities we love for the past 120+ years, and will remain committed to the generations who will follow.

See below for a visual history of the early days of the bank!

“Authorization to commence the business of Banking” from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency; April 4^th, 1900

The first two presidents of the bank: W.R. Smith (from 1900-1901), and J.D. Wulljen (from 1901-1905)

Horses meet the “horseless carriage” in this 1912 view of Main Street Colorado City looking east. The building marked “1” on the left is the City National Bank. Colorado National Bank, which later merged with the City National Bank, is indicated “2” towards the center of the photo. Photo courtesy of Heart of West Texas Museum.

Old leather coin purses stamped with the bank’s name – note that these were given out while the city was still “Colorado, TX” – before it became “Colorado City, TX” in the early 1900s.

Oil exchange prices appear on the left window of the old City National Bank, circa 1915. Photo courtesy of Heart of West Texas Museum.

Interior of the old Colorado National Bank with its ornate wallpaper and a scrolled bandit barrier. Photo courtesy of Heart of West Texas Museum.

Interior of the old City National Bank and personnel, circa 1928.

This bank-sponsored float features a dollar sign made entirely of tumbleweeds. The woman in the white dress (directly above the float’s “City National Bank” nameplate) portrays an old-fashioned cashier. Photo courtesy of Heart of West Texas Museum.