Our History

1st Source has a rich history, dating back to 1863 when we were chartered as the First National Bank of South Bend. While 1st Source has literally grown up with the region, we have never strayed from the ideals of our founders. We remain a local institution, embedded in the communities we serve and committed to the success of all who live and do business here.

In 1931, we became the First Bank and Trust Company when Ernest M. Morris and Vincent Bendix engineered a merger of several banks during the Depression. The Bank survived the ordeal and grew strong during the postwar years. We worked hard to preserve our independence, especially during the acquisition mania of the 1980's. It was during that decade that we changed our name to 1st Source, to better reflect the diversity of our products and services.

Over the years, dramatic changes have challenged us: economic boom and bust, cycles of increased regulation and deregulation, the changing needs of our individual and business clients. And through it all, we have grown to be the largest locally controlled bank in northern Indiana and southwestern Michigan. Our success is the result of a legacy – a legacy of consistently delivering the highest-quality service and knowledgeable, ethical counsel to successive generations of 1st Source clients.