The Germantown Bank

The Germantown Bank was built in 1922 and was established by Augustus R. Selby, part-owner and manager of the Liberty Milling Company, and Andrew H. Baker, local entrepreneur and head of the A. H. Baker Insurance Company of Washington. Selby was also vice-president of the First National Bank of Gaithersburg, and chairman of the Board of Citizens Building and Loan Association. In 1948 he was elected to the first Montgomery County Council when the County adopted the charter form of government. August Selby and Andrew Baker each owned residences across Rt. 118 from the bank in Germantown. Both of their houses were destroyed by fire in the late 1970's., The bank was created for the convenience of Germantown residents and mill workers. Augustus Selby served as its president until 1958, when it merged with 1st National Bank of Gaithersburg to become chartered as Maryland State Bank of Montgomery County. The manager of this bank was for many years Mrs. Carrie Greene, sister of Carlton Browning, the local postman., On October 30, 1960 the bank merged with Suburban Trust (later Suburban Bank) and in 1966 Lewis Wood came to manage the bank. In the spring of 1983 Suburban Bank moved to its new building at the corner of Germantown Road and Middlebrook Road and two years later merged with Sovran Bank. The old bank building was then given to the County and was used for a time as a waiting room for the commuter train., The Germantown Bank gives the impression of solidity and compactness so typical of bank buildings of this time in small towns across America. It is constructed of brick painted white with barred windows and door and the entrance is flanked by columns.