Hometown National Bank has been deeply rooted in the Illinois Valley for three centuries. Finding its heritage in the late 19th Century, the early stockholders of the bank first assembled on December 16, 1880 at the Harrison House Hotel (located on the corner of First and Wright Streets in Downtown La Salle). The bank was formerly named La Salle National Bank, and its total resources at that time were just $100,000! The bank has evolved into and remained a staple in the Illinois Valley community ever since that inception. It was even one of the few banks that managed to sustain itself following the stock market crash of October, 1929 and the Great Depression that ensued—without having to merge with another bank or resort to other drastic means for survival. The bank has continually seen strong growth and development ever since.
In 1990, the bank expanded by adding its first separate branch on Venture Drive in Peru, Illinois, adjacent to the Peru Mall. Continued success allowed La Salle National Bank the opportunity to branch out even further— beyond the Illinois Valley. In September of 2005, La Salle National Bank announced its plans to open a second branch in Joliet, Illinois. During this time, the bank’s administrators felt it was only appropriate and natural to re-brand the bank under a new name and identity—preferably one that better embodied the bank’s strong ties to all the communities it serves. Thus, “Hometown National Bank” was unveiled to coincide with the opening of its impressive, newly constructed home office.