Bank of Clarke: A long history of building better relationships in Northern Virginia.
1881. The Bank of Clarke County opened for business. Our first president was Ammashaddi Moore, Jr., a lawyer.
1900s. Telephones were installed at the Bank, a new Savings department was opened, and the Bank developed a system to serve the lending needs of local African Americans, who may not have had access to traditional credit.
1920s. Ammashaddi Moore, Jr., retired and William Bradford, a teacher and farmer who had also served as Treasurer of Clarke County, became the Bank’s president in 1920. In 1925, the Bank added a Trust department.
1930s. The Bank met the qualifications for FDIC insurance, a new program at the time created in the wake of the Great Depression to protect customer deposits. In 1935, it acquired Boyce State Bank. The Recordak photographic machine was introduced, allowing us to take photos of items like checks for better recordkeeping.
1940s. During World War 2, the Bank posted an honor roll of individuals from Clarke County who served in the armed forces. In 1946, Roy Potts, a longtime employee, became president. By the end of the decade, the Bank was reporting record profits.
1950s. Throughout the 1950s, the Bank continued to grow and improve its services, adding a farm service department in 1955, purchasing the neighboring building to expand its space in 1957, and appointing its first internal auditor, Mary Webb, in 1958.
1960s and 1970s. Floyd L. McWilliams, Sr., another employee of long standing, became president of the Bank in 1963. The Berryville office was expanded again. When Mr. McWiliams retired, Hobson C. McGehee served as interim president.
1980s. In 1980, A. Garland Williams became President. The Bank celebrated its centennial in 1981 and installed its first computer system in 1983. In 1984, Lewis M. Ewing became the Bank’s President. In 1987, the Bank introduced home equity loans and in 1989, installed its first ATM.
1990s. In 1991, Bank of Clarke County earned a #1 rating from the Federal Reserve Bank for its community reinvestment program, the first bank in Virginia to do so. Continuing to grow, the Bank added a 24-hour telephone information line in 1996 and online banking in 1999.
2000s. The Bank opened its first express office in Berryville, moved into the current Loudoun Street location in Winchester, and opened its tenth location (Millbrook), all in 2003. John R. Milleson became president in 1999.
2010s. The Bank added a mobile app to its suite of services. Brandon C. Lorey became President in 2019. The Bank surpassed $1 billion in assets.
2023. The Bank changes its name officially to Bank of Clarke, to reflect its expanding footprint.