Member Directory

Smith County History

On April 21, 1892, one of the business landmarks of Carthage and Smith County began its life. Smith County Bank and Trust Company, as it was first known, was granted its Charter by the State of Tennessee with five incorporators. They were Mr. John A. Fite, President, Mr. J. H. Young, Mr. E. S. Hance, Mr. C. N. Davis, and Mr. George A. Howard. Mr. Fite served as President until his death at age 93. All of these men were of good name and very well respected.

The first building was a small, red brick building on Main Street which is now a part of the Walton Hotel building. The success of the Bank was such that in 1916, it moved from the original site to its new home opposite the Smith County Courthouse on Main Street. This building remained the home of Smith County Bank until February, 1974, when the present building was opened for business across from the Cordell Hull Bridge.

The Bank, better known as “The Old Reliable”, would soon face circumstances comparable to death with the closing of the historic institution on Friday, May 6, 1983. Citizens of Carthage and Smith County were saddened as accounting errors and a poor economy were blamed for the bank’s problems. The Charter was surrendered by the Board of Directors and the doors closed. On Monday, May 9, the Bank reopened as Smith County Bank, Branch of Murfreesboro Bank and Trust Company, later changing its name to Mid-South Bank and Trust Company. Customer confidence grew stronger as we offered new products and services, being the first bank in Smith County to introduce the Automated Teller Machine. On July 19, 1991, Mid-South Bank and Trust merged with Third National Bank, creating a new bank name in our community. We were not to remain Third National Bank for long, for as large corporations often do, another merger was soon to take place. In 1992, Third National Bank merged with SunTrust Bank.

On August 14, 1993, SunTrust Bank sold the Carthage offices to Citizens Bank of Lafayette. Our name was changed one more time, back to Smith County Bank, Branch of Citizens Bank of Lafayette, completing a full circle.

We are very proud to once again be called Smith County Bank. We are a full service Bank with fifteen full time employees. We offer ATMs in Carthage and Gordonsville, 24-Hour Telephone Banking, fixed-rate mortgages, and smiling faces. We are pleased to be part of an organization with nine branches in four counties to give you the best down home service available.