An ad in celebration of the bank's 50th anniversary in 1942 offered historical context to the "back then" days: "Sturgis at that time was a small village of less than 2,000 people with muddy streets, hitching posts lining the sidewalks, the walks being mostly made of boards, and lighted with kerosene lamps." The present bank's initial incarnation as Citizens State Bank, with its original $50,000 capitalization, was a buy-out of the $74,426 assets of Clapp Brothers' Bank, described in one historical document as "a family affair of more or less tottering foundations." Citizens Bank took over the Clapp Bank's storefront at 106 W. Chicago Road. The new bank had solid foundations and within nine months listed assets of $185,586.65. Early challenges included a "money panic" during its first 10 years of operation and a major fire in 1898. The bank re-opened in a space directly across the street from its destroyed home, moving back to 106 W. Chicago after rebuilding was completed. Fires and wills The bank would not occupy its present location at 100 E. Chicago Road until its grand opening Dec. 27, 1924, but the stage was set when an April 1915 fire destroyed the previous building on that lot, "The Sturgis House," a motel built by Judge John Sturgis, early settler and the city's namesake. Despite the fire and disinterest in re-building, the land would not be available for sale until the death of the final Sturgis heir, in 1922: the Judge's will stipulated that his property not be sold during his heirs' lifetimes. By 1924, Citizens Bank owned that prime lot on the northeast corner of Chicago and Nottawa roads and began construction on its new 40-foot by 10-foot "modern" banking facility featuring an exterior "covered with massive panels of Indiana limestone." Publications commemorating the bank's Dec. 27, 1924 opening noted the importance and interest to the community of the opening of a new bank building: "For one thing it indicates that the city is prosperous and that its business interests have faith in its future Probably more than any other institution, banks indicate the business integrity of a community. If they are soundly financed and wisely conducted banks become great factors in the commercial growth of a city." "Character and strength" The bank's ad in the 1924 city directory boasts assets over $1.5 million for The Citizens State Bank, "The Bank of Character and Strength." By the 1930 directory, the bank has added a trust department, earning a name change to Citizens Trust & Savings Bank, "growth over $1,000,000 in 10 years - there is a reason: Safety - Service - Satisfaction." The "safety" reference likely stems from the Dec. 17, 1928 noontime hold-up of its competitor. A gang of four armed men, later thought to be the "John Dillinger gang," robbed Sturgis National of $80,000, "all its cash and securities." In 1931, three years into the Great Depression, Citizens Bank remained in a strong position, absorbing two other banks, and with them, extended its claim to local history: Sturgis National Bank had been organized in 1865; Citizens Bank acquired it May 9, 1931. Three months later, on Aug. 10, 1931, the smallest bank in the county, Burr Oak State Bank, founded in 1898, merged into Citizens Bank. But the effects of the Depression are evident from news items reporting the annual pay-out in "Christmas Club savings." In 1927, "local banks" paid out $70,000 in yuletide savings, $65,000 in 1931, and only $45,000 in 1932. Growing again Even before the Depression was officially over, Citizens Bank experienced growth in its assets. The bank's ad on the back of the 1936 city directory stated "Growth over $1,000,000 in 10 years. By the 1938 directory, their ad states a $1 million growth - "in 3 yearsthere is a reason." The 1950s saw several firsts. When the bank installed automatic-opening doors in 1954, not only was it the first of its kind in Sturgis, it was a first for anywhere in southern Michigan. Likewise, in 1958, the bank opened the first drive-in branch, "Fastest motor banking service available," at the intersection of Chicago and Centreville roads, also the first of its kind in southern Michigan. Promotional literature offered a diagram of how the traffic would flow around the new $50,000 building: "Wide entrances, exits, and scientifically designed approaches afford plenty of room to drive in and out. There are no tight spots to squeeze through, no congestion." Convenience was the other selling point, both location as well as ease of use: "You can come "dressed as you are' and bring the children, too - because you can do your banking from your car." Expansion in the "60s Where Citizens Bank marked the 1950s with innovation, the "60s were years of growth, in assets as well as facilities. The bank held an open house Aug. 9, 1966 to show off its newly expanded and remodeled building. The $400,000 project included construction of a 32-foot by 10-foot expansion, including addition of a 19-ton vault, which door was composed of "open-hearth steel having a tensile strength of 63,000 pounds to the square inch." In 1968, Citizens State Bank purchased assets of E. Hill & Sons Bank of Colon, which had been founded in 1872. Other significant milestones in the bank's history include: 1969, bought Fennel Body Shop on North Monroe Street, for additional parking facilities. 1977, celebrated its 85th anniversary with assets of $50 million 1986, sold to Bank One Corporation for $14.5 million 1988, opened branch office in White Pigeon 1992, celebrated 100th anniversary 1995, has become Citizens Commercial and Savings Bank - 1998, razed Hagerman Freeland building, next door, at 102-108 E. Chicago Road for further expansion. Think local The four St. Joseph County branches of Citizens Bank - Sturgis, Colon, Centreville, and White Pigeon - are now among the 270 nationwide owned by Citizens Republic Bancorp, whose assets exceed $11 billion. Ownership may be on a national level, but local focus remains on a local level, said Frank Iannarelli, community president for five years of the county's four branches. "I think about the things that we have given to the community over the 116 years, all the different things we have sponsored and the events we have participated in, and a lot of times, it's never been publicized, a lot of it is behind the scenes," he said. "I keep in mind all the time the clients that we serve, about how we have taken care of their great-grandparents and their grandparents and their parents, and now them, and we'll be taking care of their children and their grandchildren, so I think about long-lasting, durational things," Iannarelli said. 1892 - Citizens Bank organized March 7, initially at 106 W. Chicago 1924 - grand opening in new building at 100 E. Chicago 1929 - adds trust department 1931 - absorbs First National Bank in Sturgis 1954 - adds first automatically opening door in southern Michigan 1958 - opens first drive-up banking branch in southern Michigan 1966 - grand opening of main branch following new construction and remodeling 1968 - acquires E. Hill & Sons Bank in Colon 1988 - opens branch in White Pigeon 1992 - celebrates 100th anniversary The bank's original interior. Following remodeling during the 1960s, the new interior would feature "a pleasing décor of oil walnut and contrasting grass cloth walls, marble floors, luxuriously carpeted offices, and new modern furnishingsto present an atmosphere of business cordiality." The new drive-up branch built in 1958 near the intersection of Chicago and Centerville roads was the first of its kind not only in Sturgis but in southern Michigan. Convenience was the chief selling point: "You can come "dressed as you are' and bring the children, too - because you can do your banking from your car." Citizens Bank has occupied the Sturgis business scene for 116 years, since 1892, and the corner of Chicago and Nottawa roads since 1924. | 
