What is the oldest bank in New Mexico?
The First National Bank of Santa Fe, which now operates under the heritage brand First National 1870 as a division of Sunflower Bank, was established on December 13, 1870, making it the oldest bank in the state of New Mexico. Founded more than four decades before New Mexico achieved statehood, the institution began operations in a remote territory where formal banking systems were virtually nonexistent and trade relied heavily on barter and cash escorts transported by military guard. Opening its physical doors in early 1871 near the historic Santa Fe Plaza, the bank played a monumental role in shaping the economic development of the American Southwest and providing essential financial infrastructure.
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