"The Columbus State Bank"

"The Columbus State Bank". . The Columbus Courier newspaper of January 17, 1913 states: "The Columbus State Bank, recently organized, will open for business February 1st." A bank was needed as the 13th Cavalry's 'Camp at Columbus' army post, had been recently established with a compliment of 500 soldiers, plus or minus, at all times. In 1919 the banks business declined after the 1st National Bank, a federal reserve bank, was opened and the army and the federal post office were required to do their banking with a federal reserve institution. At a bank board meeting on Thursday November 4, 1920, it was decided the only option was to close the bank. Friday morning November 5, 1920 the Columbus State Bank did not open., It was in the street between the bank and the Hoover Hotel that Lt. Castleman set up his line of defense with a Benet-Mercie machine rifle. The bank building took many bullets during the villa raid of March 9, 1916. The accompaning photos attest to the battle that went on that morning. The bank vault door casing received a bullet. That vault door and casing still exists with the original bullet hole., The bank building had an upstairs hall that was used for many functions, dances, weddings, etc. After the raid the military leased the large hall for a USO type place for the soldiers. It was called "The Kh... Club".