In 1871 J. B. Flower, R. A. Cameron and James F. Benedict opened the second bank in Greeley. General Cameron was a member of committee who located and purchased the land for the Union Colony.

Check drawn on Bank office of Flower, Cameron & Benedict dated June 27, 1874. Interest paid documented on reverse.(Acc #81.66.04 Archives, City of Greeley Museums.)

The bank was reorganized into the Union Bank on March 31, 1877 by Daniel Hawks, James F. Benedict, William F. Thompson, Bruce F. Johnson, Theodore Irgalsbe, J. M. Bush and Silas S. Kennedy. It was incorporated with a capital of $40,000. At that time it was housed in a small structure. The Union Bank building burned, April 4, 1883 and did business for one day at the Emerson and West bank, after which they built another building on the same site. Bruce F. Johnson served as president during the first ten plus years. James F. Benedict was a long time cashier until he resigned to serve the Cleveland administration(Cleveland 1885-1897). He was succeeded by George Adams.

In 1888 the Union Bank Building was built. It was a two story structure with a corner entrance as shown on the postcard. It held various shops along 8th Avenue; lawyers and dentists occupied the upstairs offices.

B. D. Harper who helped organize the First National Bank of Greeley in 1884 and was its first cashier for a number of years and later its President severed his connection with the First National Bank and went into the Union Bank as cashier. He later served as president of the Union Bank.

When the bank renewed its charter in 1897 with a capital of $50,000, its president was Jesse S. Gale, a successful cattleman of the area.

Under the leadership of Brainard D. Harper, president, it acquired national status by 1905 as the Union National Bank, charter number 7604. In 1914 it was merged with the City National Bank. However, it retained the name of he Union National Bank. By 1918 it had over $1 million in deposits.

Major remodeling of the building was done in 1921. Part of the present basement was dug and the main floor was brought down to ground level. Banking quarters were enlarged and an elaborate plaster work ceiling was put in by hand. The exterior was covered with cream-colored terra cotta around the windows. The corner entrance was replaced by a side entrance on 8th Street.

The enlarged banking quarters took up all of the previous space except for the Western Union office in the northeast corner of the building. Additional office space was added to the second story.

During this remodeling the bank headquarters were temporarily moved to the old City National Bank building located one block north on the corner of 8th Avenue and 7th Street.

Union National Bank of Greeley, 1902 PB $20

Large notes from the Union National Bank of Greeley, charter number 7604 are listed as rare (6 large size notes are known). Over the past eight years three of the Union National Bank notes were auctioned by Currency Auctions of America in 1997 and 1998. A fourth note is in a promoment Colorado collection. The other two reported notes have not come on the market. The bank issued $10 and $20 third charter, red seal, date back, and plain back notes.

On March 22, 1926 the Union National Bank and the Greeley National Bank merged. The merged bank, The Greeley Union National Bank, Greeley, assumed responsibility for the outstanding currency. The earlier Greeley National bank charter, #4437 was assumed. The total amount of outstanding notes in 1926 was $74,000 that included notes from charter #7604 and #10038.