the history of champlain national bank

Champlain National Bank’s history dates back to 1909 when Lake Champlain National Bank began operations in Westport, NY. The Champlain National Bank that exists today was formed in 1959 as the result of the merger between Essex County National Bank in Willsboro, NY (founded in 1921) and Lake Champlain National Bank. Additional branches were opened in 1961 in Elizabethtown, 1973 in Crown Point, 1987 in Keene, 1992 and 1999 in Plattsburgh, 1996 in Champlain, 2006 in Lake Placid, and 2017 in Saranac Lake.

In 1986 the Bank became a wholly owned subsidiary of Champlain Bank Corporation, which is owned by the former shareholders of the Bank. Most of the shareholders have close ties to the Bank's service area, which makes Champlain National Bank the only independent, community owned financial institution in Essex and Clinton counties.

Many artifacts from the bank’s early days are on display at our Willsboro and Westport branches. Open to the public, these items show how people kept track of their money in the early 20th century and how they transacted on their bank accounts. Also on display are some of the tools tellers used in the early days of banking.