Granite Falls in the 1950's

Pictured is an aerial photo of Granite Falls back in the 1950s. Picture taken by Bryce Sherrill. Click to enlarge.

The First Bank of Granite Office in 1906

Bank of Granite Celebrates 75th Anniversary, 1906-1981

When Bank of Granite was organized in October of 1906, Granite Falls itself was a "very few horses" town. The horseless carriage was still to come.

This could well have been one of the big reasons for the bank's organization. Local citizens grew tired of having to ride out of town for their banking needs.

The idea was to have a hometown bank which could provide immediate service to local businesses and individuals.

The first day's deposits amounted to $901.68, a most encouraging start. And the bank, as a truly local institution, continued to show a modest growth. Many years later a new and larger building with upstairs offices was constructed on the same property immediately in front of the first building shown here. This would serve as the bank's home office until 1969.

But it was back in 1954 that the bank, with $1.2 million in resources, was purchased by a group of Caldwell County citizens who wanted to broaden the institution's opportunities for service.

During the ensuing years the bank's image changed considerably.

Lenoir Office

Bank of Granite's first expansion move outside Granite Falls came in 1960 when it opened a new office in Lenoir.

John A. Forlines, Jr. Seventh President and Board Chairman

During Bank of Granite's first 48 years of operation, there were six presidents, all local citizens successful in their own endeavors, who filled the office through a sense of duty.

They were D.H. Warlick, Dr. O.J. Corpening, J.W. Hoke, W.E. Poovey, A.A. Cline, and T.E. Poovey.

When then bank was purchased in 1954, the new directors brought in John A. Forlines, Jr. from Durham, N.C., a dynamic person with wide business and financial experience, including four years as a financial officer with the Army during World War II.

In the past 27 years, under the leadership of Forlines as president and chairman of the board of directors, the bank has experienced an outstanding growth. In addition to its five offices, it now shows over 700 stockholders, mostly local citizens, and resources of over $57 million.

Over the years Forlines has brought prominence to the bank in many ways. He is past president of the North Carolina Bankers Association. He has held a number of high level positions with the American Bankers Association. In March of 1980 he appeared on the cover of United States Banker and was featured in the magazine's lead story concerning community banking.

His service to his community, Catawba Valley and the State, are well know. He is presently serving as a trustee of Duke University. But his first love, next to his wife Julia, is Bank of Granite.