History

In 1882, Beloit was a typical small-town-America hometown with a population of no more than 5,000 people. The downtown stores were shabby; many of them were of wooden construction. During this period, even the streets were unpaved. They were either all mud or all dust; in fact sidewalks all over town were made of wooden planks laid on stringers. Fires gradually eliminated the old wooden buildings that were replaced by better-built, more impressive structures.

The first streets paved were Grand Avenue (then Bridge Street) and State Street. It was on one of those streets that Charles H. Parker opened The Second National Bank in the midsummer of 1882. From the beginning, the Second National Bank was a success. By the outbreak of the First World War, the Second National Bank was one of the most stable institutions in Beloit.

In 1961, President B.P. Eldred, Jr. died suddenly. News of his death greatly saddened his community. When the Board of Directors assembled five days later, they assured the community that the leadership of the bank would remain in the family. Acting with faith in youth coupled with experience, the Directors chose his son John, who had been serving on the Board for the past three years, as the new President.

President Eldred began to present himself in even more important community roles. An active volunteer, he has maintained the tradition of community service established by both his grandfather, and has played an important part in banking circles in the state as well.

In 1998, John Eldred's son Steven became President of First National Bank and Trust Company. In the past few years, First National Bank and Trust Company has experienced a great deal of regional growth, acquiring Macktown State Bank with offices in Roscoe and Rockton, Illinois in February 2001. In March of 2003, FNBT successfully finalized the purchase of three Amcore offices in the communities of Clinton and Darien. This acquisition increased First National Bank and Trust's offices to ten full service locations.

Throughout our almost 130 year-history, First National Bank and Trust has proudly served the people of Beloit, and surrounding communities in both Illinois and Wisconsin. We look forward to continuing that history with many more years of service.