First State Bank Building, Three Rivers

This RTHL marker was applied for on November 1, 1963, the year of the Three Rivers Golden Centennial. All information verified by C.R. Tips [Founder of Three Rivers and the bank]. Marker was received in 1964.

Live Oak County Judge: Honorable Harry L. Hinton

Live Oak County Historical Survey Committee & Marker Narrative: Mrs. A.E. Adlof

First State Bank Marker Sponsor: C.R. Tips 

Date Unveiled: 1964

Recorded Texas Historic Landmark Text

                                       First State Bank Building

  First State Bank Building and office of C.R. Tips, founder of the City of Three Rivers, Texas, in 1914. (1964) Marker is Property of the State of Texas.

[Editor's note: Cost of application $14.95. Cost of marker $33.00. 

As one can see, the requirements for application and cost for the process has continued to change since the time Texas began documenting historical sites and events.]

APPLICATION NARRATIVE FOR OFFICIAL RECORDED TEXAS HISTORIC LANDMARK MARKER:

         HISTORY OF FIRST STATE BANK BUILDING, THREE RIVERS, TEXAS

                    Awarded Official Texas Historical Building Medallion

        In the early part of 1914, the First State Bank in Live Oak County was organized. It

was first called the Live Oak County Stante Bank. The name was subsequently changed,

by charter amendment, to the First State Bank of Three Rivers, Texas. The bank building

was built in the early part of 1914, in time to be used for the opening of the bank when it received its charter from the State of Texas. It was the first substantial brick building built in the new city of Three Rivers.

        The organizer of the bank, and its first president, was Charles R. Tips, who was 21 years old at the time. One of the other initial stock holders when the bank was organized was Congressman John Nance Garner who represented the 15th Congressional District of which Live Oak County was a part. Mr. Garner was subsequently Speaker of the House and Vice President of the United States. 

        The bank occupied the front part of the building at the corner of Thornton Street and Harborth Avenue (US Highway No. 280). The rear part of the building, fronting on Thornton Street, was the office of Charles R. Tips and also the office of the Townsite Company, of which Tips was president.

        The city of Three Rivers was founded in 1913 by Charles R. Tips, at the time the San Antonio, Uvalde and Gulf Railroad (Now part of the Missouri - Pacific system) was built from San Antonio to Corpus Christi. The town was originally called Hamiltonburg because it was built on the Hamilton Ranch.

        After a few months, the name was changed to Three Rivers, Texas, on the recommendation of Mr. Tips, because it was at the confluence of the Nueces, Frio and Atascosa Rivers.

        Mr. Tips sold his interest in the bank and moved away from Three Rivers in 1917 he entered the United States Army to serve in World War I.

        Mr. Mack T. Buckaloo, the present President of the First State Bank of Three Rivers which still owns the building, has offered to give the building to Live Oak County to be used as a historical museum.

Thanks to Lynette Chen, Sarah McClesky, and Bob Brinkman, Director at the THC Marker Archives in Austin for sharing this narrative and folder information.