Explore the History of Bristol Morgan Bank

Bank of Oakfield becomes Bristol Morgan Bank. Not only as a nod to our roots in the communities we call home, but to highlight the traditions and values we were founded on.

Fond du Lac branch opens.

Bank of Oakfield opened the Van Dyne branch.

A new facility was built for Bank of Oakfield, but still on the original site. The lobby, vault, tellers’ stations and bookkeeping areas were constructed first and opened in June 1969. After the old building was demolished, the President’s office and Director’s room were completed. The public open house was held in October 1969.

Bank of Oakfield officially became the bank you know today. F.J. Bristol was the first president with C.G. Morgan as vice president and W.E. Bristol as cashier and bookkeeper.

The Bristol Morgan Company moved across the street (to the building known today as Cowles-Henke Insurance) and decided to separate the store operations and financial services, as private banks were allowed in Wisconsin at that time. The company surrounded the property with a security fence and dedicated the front of the building to banking.  Then, on February 22, 1898, the financial business became officially known as the Bank of Oakfield.

Long before we became Bristol Morgan Bank, a business by the name of Bristol and Worthing operated in the Oakfield community. One outgrowth of that business was a store called the Bristol and Morgan Company that provided a safe place for farmers to keep their money after they sold products at market.