After the Civil War, the “Old West,” or more commonly known as the “Wild West” was born during the 1865-1895 era.  It was an era filled with cowboys, outlaws, pioneers, war and more.  Americans began blazing trails and migrating west in hopes of a new start.   In the midst of this great expansion, in the heart of the Jackson Purchase in May of 1875, FNB Bank, Inc. (FNB) was founded as the First National Bank of Mayfield with a capitalization of $100,000.  The bank was established by Major Henry S. Hale, who became the first bank president.

In 1875, times were vastly different than present day, and so was money.  There were three different versions of the twenty-dollar bill in circulation during this time, compared to present day wherein the twenty-dollar bill features Andrew Jackson on the front and the White House on the back.  The most common banknote in 1875 was the National Banknote type.  FNB was one of 116 banks across twenty-two different states (only three from Kentucky) to issue this type of banknote.  During this time, bankers from across the United States from 31 states also banded together to form the American Bankers Association (ABA).  The ABA is still a primary force in present day for advocating and lobbying on behalf of banks, setting best practices/standards, and more.

Since the beginning, FNB has always remained a dominate fixture on Mayfield’s historic court square.  The bank has been no stranger to adversity and overcoming obstacles over the years, as the original building, on the corner of Seventh and Broadway, was remodeled in 1921 and burned in 1936.  A new office was immediately built and opened in 1937.  Through its over 72-year span, the Main Office structure endured many additions and remodels on East Broadway.  In 2008, FNB broke ground on a new Main Office headquarters directly beside their existing Main Office that was built in 1937 and opened in May 2009.  The bank enjoyed twelve short years in that building after it was destroyed on December 10, 2021, when an EF4 Tornado caused catastrophic damage to the Main Office headquarters and Operations Center. 

In FNB’s over 148-year history, the bank has remained locally owned and operated, all the while expanding the bank’s footprint throughout Western Kentucky. FNB is currently the seventh oldest bank in the state of Kentucky with assets exceeding $658 million. FNB ranks among the highest in the nation in the area of safety and soundness, and experiences continued success due to loyal customers and committed employees.  The bank’s commitment to the Mayfield-Graves County community serves as a source of strength to many, as the bank began rebuilding their Mayfield Main Office headquarters in early 2023.  No one ever said that blazing your own trail would be easy, but FNB’s resiliency and forward-thinking approach continues to drive the bank forward.  Serving customers again on East Broadway will soon be a reality again, just like the beginning in the “Old West” days.

In 2017, 2020 and 2023, FNB Bank was awarded an “Outstanding” rating, the highest rating possible, from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) for our commitment to the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA). By awarding this rating, the FDIC acknowledged that FNB is continuing to meet the needs of the communities we serve and operate in, including low- and moderate-income neighborhoods and are consistent with safe and sound banking operations.

“We are honored to receive the Outstanding CRA rating again from the FDIC. It is a great accomplishment to have the continued efforts of our staff recognized by this distinction that very few banks achieve,” said Brooke Wiles, FNB’s Marketing Director and CRA Officer. “The rating recognizes FNB’s ongoing commitment to meeting the credit and development needs of all people in the communities we serve.”

Banks are evaluated on a variety of information pertaining to the communities they serve and how they rate against their competitors and peers in the areas of lending, investments and community services. Regulators usually spend several weeks reviewing each bank’s loans and the community services they provide, while also interviewing a variety of people within the communities about economic development trends, etc. An overall CRA rating is then assigned to each bank using a four-tiered rating system of Outstanding, Satisfactory, Needs to Improve, or Substantial Noncompliance.

FNB became one of Kentucky’s longest running banks by putting in the time when a lot was on the line for our customers. Follow our timeline through more than a century of progress made, challenges met and wins celebrated in the families and communities we serve.