Enid History: Did you know...
In February of 1933 the banking situation in Detroit became so drastic the Governor of Michigan arbitrarily ordered the closing of every bank in that state. That wave of bank closings swept the nation until by March 1st, every Governor had ordered all banks in their states closed.
In Oklahoma every bank obeyed the edict-save one, the First National Bank of Enid. H. H. Champlin declared his bank was chartered as a national institution and would not close. He stated Governor Murray had no authority over it. Within its vaults was enough money to pay its depositors. The people needed their money and he was determined they should get it.
For three days the exasperated Governor endeavored to persuade the First National Bank of Enid to close its doors but the adamant bankers refused and continued to pay out money to all depositors requesting it. On March 4th, the Governor of Oklahoma called out the militia and a squad of soldiers forcibly closed and locked the bank's doors. Time magazine in describing the incident declared it was the only occasion in the history of American Banking in which a bank was closed by the armed forces.
From a story written by Henry B. Bass
In Oklahoma every bank obeyed the edict-save one, the First National Bank of Enid. H. H. Champlin declared his bank was chartered as a national institution and would not close. He stated Governor Murray had no authority over it. Within its vaults was enough money to pay its depositors. The people needed their money and he was determined they should get it.
For three days the exasperated Governor endeavored to persuade the First National Bank of Enid to close its doors but the adamant bankers refused and continued to pay out money to all depositors requesting it. On March 4th, the Governor of Oklahoma called out the militia and a squad of soldiers forcibly closed and locked the bank's doors. Time magazine in describing the incident declared it was the only occasion in the history of American Banking in which a bank was closed by the armed forces.
From a story written by Henry B. Bass


















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