Marion State Bank

The town of Marion began in the 1870s as a marketing and shipping point on the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio rail line. It grew steadily and, in the early twentieth century, began to develop as an important commercial center for the area. A cotton gin opened in 1904, followed soon by an electric plant and a telephone company. As part of that progress, Marion State Bank received a charter on October 26, 1906. H.D. Dreyer served as the first president, with Dr. Louis Hirschfeld as vice president and Henry Wimmer as cashier and secretary; all were directors. The other initial directors were L. Kuehler, W.J. Schneider and Arlon B. Davis. Marion State Bank began operation in the first floor rear area of the H.D. Dreyer building, which also housed the Waldorf Club, a local saloon. The bank purchased the property in 1910 and moved to the front part of the building. It remained at that site until 1987, when it relocated to new facilities here. Marion State Bank was among the first state chartered banks in Texas, and it remains one of the state’s oldest community-based financial institutions. Throughout its history, it has been a key player in area development, serving Marion and nearby communities Zuehl, New Berlin and Santa Clara. The institution has paid dividends regularly to its investors over the years, even during the Great Depression. Today, Marion State Bank serves as a reminder of the area’s early history, as well as its steady growth and development. As with its founding, the bank continues in service as a hometown institution. (2006)

Marion State Bank is a historical marker in Marion, Guadalupe County, dedicated in 2006. It is one of 75 historical markers documented in Guadalupe County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 249 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 29.5705, -98.1442 near Marion. The nearest cataloged historic site is Founding of Town of Marion, 1877 (historical marker), about 0.2 miles away. Others within a short drive include Marion Public Schools, Santo Tomas Cemetery #2, and Marion.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5507013610. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.