Site of the first Manatee County State Bank

On this corner was once the first brick building in Palmetto. It was built in 1899 and was known as the Lamb Block. The building served as the location for the first bank organized in Manatee County, the Manatee County State Bank, which opened on July 15, 1899. It was incorporated with a capitalization of $16,000 and had grown to $50,000 by June of 1914. One hundred and sixty shares were issued at $160 a share. The Manatee County State Bank remained in this building until 1925 when it was relocated 2 blocks north to the stop we were at previously. 

The first location of the Manatee County State Bank was the first of the "new" brick buildings of the late 1800s to be constructed on Main Street. The building was also known as the Lamb Block building. Major stockholders were S.S. Lamb, C.C. Whitaker, the well-known Tampa attorney Peter O. Knight, Lon Sims and C.E. McNeill.

For a number of years, across the street from the Manatee County State Bank was Dr. David I. Jones' drug store.

The Manatee County State Bank was relocated in 1925 to its second location, 2 blocks north on Main Street (also the location of the First Methodist Church in Palmetto).

This entry was created by Palmetto Historical Park staff using Palmetto Historical Park’s records and photos.