Over 100 Years of Service to Mississippi County, Arkansas
Farmers Bank and Trust has provided financial services to the community members, businesses, and farmers throughout Mississippi County and the surrounding region since 1908. Though the world looks a lot different now than it did in the early 1900s, the values we were founded on still guide us every day. We are focused on serving the financial needs of our community with integrity, expertise, and the caring attitude of one neighbor helping out another.
“Since the founding of Farmers Bank & Trust more than 100 years ago to serve Blytheville and customers across Mississippi County, Arkansas, and the surrounding area, our bank has focused on providing a combination of personal service and state of the art banking services unmatched by any bank, anywhere.”
—Randy Scott, Bank President and CEO
Connected to Our Community
Many of our employees have deep roots in the region, and are proud to choose Mississippi County as their home. You can see our employees present at many events around town, including taking an active role with organizations and fundraisers that give back to our community, such as the Blytheville Leadership Institute, Relay for Life, Lion’s Club, the Chili Cookoff, raising money for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, and more.
Though we’re always looking to improve our services and offer you the latest in banking technology, we’re also mindful of where we started and how our history has led us to where we are today.
The Founding of Farmers Bank
Farmers Bank was established in 1908 with a small amount of capital stock but lots of vision. The original building was opened in Blytheville, Arkansas, on the corner of Main and Second Street. By 1916, the bank moved a little ways down Main Street, into the building now occupied by the Ritz Civic Center. Soon thereafter, the bank settled on the corner of Broadway and Main in 1920. It’s on this very spot that our current Main Branch location, built in 1969, stands today. Farmers Bank is one of the oldest businesses in all of Blytheville.
Weathering a Crisis
During the Great Depression, many banks closed as a result of the desperate economic times and subsequent “bank runs.” Under the leadership of then-Bank President B.A. Lynch and with the support of the local people, Farmers Bank was able to weather the economic storm and never had to close its doors. It’s the only bank in Mississippi County to remain open throughout the duration of the Depression.
The Legend of B.A. Lynch
According to local legend, Lynch also had several creative ideas to keep morale and trust in the bank high. In one story, it’s said that Lynch put large bags in the bank’s windows that had money poking out of the top to show that the bank was “flush with cash.” He also leveraged the trust and influence of local business leaders to avoid a run on the bank. GG Hubbard Senior, founder and operator of Hubbard and Hoke Furniture, played an important role in this story. His grandson, George Hubbard III, shared the family tale with us. At the request of President Lynch, GG Hubbard went across the street from his furniture store to stand in line at the bank among a crowd of nervous customers. He and a few other Blytheville business leaders struck up a loud conversation about the current economic landscape. One said to the other, “I feel safe with my money here at Farmers Bank—I’m leaving my money here.” The other agreed, chiming in, “Me, too!” Another added, “I’m here today to put more of my money in the bank.” The influence of these local leaders proved to be very strong, and soon many of the people standing in line began to agree with this sentiment. The crowd quickly disbursed and the run on the bank was avoided. The bank remained open and everyone’s money remained secure.
A New Twist on a Historic Building
In 2017, Farmers Bank opened a new branch in Wilson in a building with an interesting history. Originally The Bank of Wilson, the bank building located at 55 Park Avenue was built in 1952 by architect George Mahan. During WWII, the Bank of Wilson purchased a set of 1908-era teller cages and Italian marble countertops from the Old Liberty Savings Bank and Loan in Memphis, Tennessee. The beautiful marble, which features rust, beige, white, and lavender color streaks, was mined from a quarry in Italy that was exhausted in the early 1920s. These unique features can be seen today when you visit the newly renovated Wilson branch, along with many historic photos that pay homage to Wilson’s past.
Growing to Better Serve All of Your Banking Needs
Through the years, Farmers Bank has grown by leaps and bounds in its physical presence across the county, as well as in the kinds of products and services we offer. We now have seven locations across Blytheville, Gosnell, Manila, and Wilson, to better serve your banking needs no matter where you are.
In addition to friendly and neighborly service, another of our top priorities is to continue to broaden our technology-based services. From our online banking service to our mobile app, and from our instant issue debit cards to our live video-feed Personal Teller Machines (PTMs), we aim to make banking with us easy and convenient.
Then, Now, and Always
Through the good times and the bad, Farmers Bank has been here to serve the financial needs of our community with a friendly and neighborly spirit. We take pride in helping our customers fulfill their financial dreams, like buying their first home, starting a new business, expanding their farming operations, or helping a child start their first savings account. We look forward to continuing to serve Mississippi County for the next hundred years by holding true to the values that have guided us to where we are today. We hope you will choose us to be your hometown bankers.
