Greene County bank’s 120-year history immortalized
The Daily Mail
Nov. 15, 2009

CATSKILL — Local historian and professor at Columbia-Greene Community College Ted Hilscher has written a history of the Bank of Greene County to celebrate the bank’s 120th anniversary.

Hilscher used information found in bank records, business directories and newspaper articles to recreate the bank’s journey from its foundation as the Building & Loan Association of Catskill on Jan. 22, 1889 to the present day.

The 40-page “Wide Awake Men” also provides biographical information about the banks’ presidents and directors.

Greene County Bancorp President Donald Gibson said the company’s history had never before been compiled in one publication.

“We really found [the project] of interest,” Gibson said. “A lot of our long-term employees found [the history] real interesting.”

The history was presented to Greene County Bancorp, Inc. shareholders at their annual meeting held on Oct. 22.

Gibson, Bank Chairman Martin Smith and Director and retired President J. Bruce Whittaker presided over the NASDAQ Opening Bell to mark the bank’s actual anniversary in January.

Hilscher said the history project allowed him to look back into the Catskill community and how it operated a century ago. The booklet reflects some aspects of life in Catskill.

“Its not just the bank history but there is a lot of good local history,” Hilscher said.

For example, single women received some of the earliest loans, he said. The women used those loans to purchase homes.

Catskill’s banks and the majority of Catskill residents weathered the Depression and government-mandated bank closures because they had not invested in the stock market and were not affected by its crash in 1929, Gibson added.

Hilscher produced the history for no fee. However, the bank has donated $1,000 to the Columbia-Greene Community College Foundation Scholarship Fund and the Vedder Research Library in recognition of Hilscher’s work.

Gibson presented a check to Vedder Research Library Committee Chairwoman Linda Gentalen Monday afternoon.

Gentalen thanked Gibson and Hilscher for the funds, which will help the library modernize its retrieval system.

“It is really an honor for us to receive your appreciation,” she said.

Free booklets are available at Bank of Greene County branches. Those interested in ordering a free booklet can call bank Assistant Vice President and Director of Marketing Martha Keeler at (518) 943-2600, ext. 2004.