THURMOND, W.VA. (SWVO) – Once a cornerstone of Thurmond’s economic prosperity, the National Bank of Thurmond tells a story of ambition, resilience, and eventual decline.
Established during the heyday of this bustling railroad town, the bank played a vital role in shaping the local economy of the early 20th century.
The bank first opened its doors within the Hotel Thurmond, before moving to its own brick-and-mortar location in 1923—a stately building constructed in 1917 by the Bullock Realty Company.
This move marked a new chapter of growth and confidence in Thurmond’s future.
During its peak in the late 1920s, the National Bank managed an impressive $4.8 million annually. It served as a key financial hub, holding accounts for Fayette County and even the Ford Motor Company.
Residents relied on its safety deposit boxes and savings accounts, making it a trusted institution in the region.
But the prosperity wouldn’t last. In 1931, amid the sweeping economic turmoil of the Great Depression and a series of devastating fires that gutted much of Thurmond’s business district, the bank shuttered its doors.
The building, however, continued to serve the town in different ways. Over the following decades, it was repurposed to house retail shops and residential apartments.
Then, in the 1970s, Erskine and Jacqueline Pugh breathed new life into the historic structure, transforming it into the Bankers Club—a hotel and restaurant that became a popular stop for the area’s growing whitewater rafting community.
The Bankers Club operated until 1988. Since then, the building has stood silent, a relic of Thurmond’s vibrant past and a symbol of the town’s shifting fortunes.
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