United States Depository Merchants National Bank of Burlington, Vermont - Check dated 1872

Burlington, VT. Federal Department of the Interior check for paying pensions (most often for Civil War soldiers). Attractive.

Founded on November 10, 1849, by local transportation pioneers Timothy Follett and John Bradley, the Merchants Bank (later the Merchants National Bank of Burlington) played a pivotal role in Vermont’s mid-19th-century commercial growth. Initially situated near the bustling waterfront at 212 Battery Street, the bank’s headquarters boasted a distinctive three-story Greek Revival design, symbolizing stability for the city’s burgeoning merchant class. However, as the local financial center shifted towards City Hall Park, the institution relocated to College Street in 1857. In 1895, they constructed a landmark stone and brick headquarters there, which remains an integral part of Burlington’s historic architectural landscape today.

For over 160 years, the bank maintained its status as one of the largest and last independent, statewide financial institutions based in Vermont. Renowned for its deep community roots, it expanded its operations to over 30 branches across the state, managing billions in assets while consistently serving as a symbol of local reinvestment. This era of independence concluded in May 2017 when the bank was acquired by Community Bank System, Inc. in a deal valued at approximately $304 million. Although its branches now operate under the Community Bank name, the legacy of the original “Merchants Bank” lives on through its historic buildings and its enduring role in shaping the economic prosperity of the Green Mountain State.