20th century
P. W. Huntington formed P. W. Huntington & Company in 1866, operating on the northwest corner of High and Broad Streets; the site now houses the regional headquarters for rival U.S. Bancorp. Huntington built its first five-story building in 1878, on the intersection's southwest corner. Four of P. W.'s five sons became partners during the 1890s and early 1900s. The bank was incorporated in 1905 as The Huntington National Bank of Columbus. Huntington died in 1918 shortly after turning the bank over to his sons.[10]
Francis Huntington became president and provided active leadership for 14 years. In 1915, the bank received limited trust powers. In 1922, it received full trust powers from the Federal Reserve System. In 1923, Huntington purchased Columbus-based State Savings Bank & Trust Company and the Hayden-Clinton National Bank of Columbus, swelling its capital base.[11]
In 1958, Huntington acquired the Columbus-based The Market Exchange Bank Company. In 1962, it acquired both First National Bank of Grove City and The People's Bank of Canal Winchester. In 1963, it acquired both The Columbus Savings Bank and the Columbus-based The Northern Savings Bank. In 1966, it reorganized as a holding company, Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. In 1967, Huntington Bancshares acquired the Washington Court House-based The Washington Savings Bank. In 1969, it acquired the Ashland-based Farmers Bank. In 1970, it also acquired the Bowling Green-based Bank of Wood County Company, the Toledo-based Lucas County State Bank, and Lagonda National Bank of Springfield. In 1971, it acquired First National Bank & Trust Company of Lima, The Woodville State Bank, and the Kent-based Portage National Bank. In 1972, it acquired The First National Bank of Wadsworth and The First National Bank of Kenton, also establishing the first 24-hour, fully automated banking office.
In 1973, Alger Savings Bank merged into an affiliate in Kenton, Ohio. In 1976, The Huntington Mortgage Company formed as a subsidiary of Huntington Bancshares, with The Pickerington Bank merged into the bank. In 1977, Huntington Bancshares acquired The Bellefontaine National Bank, The Central National Bank of London, and the Columbus-based Franklin National Bank. In 1979, a loan production office opened in Dayton, Ohio.[11] In 1975, the company changed its logo to its current "honeycomb" logo. In 1980, Farmers & Merchants Bank, Milford Center, and The First National Bank of Burton merged with Huntington Bancshares.[11] In 1981, the bank acquired Alexandria Bank Company and renamed it The Huntington State Bank, with a loan production office opening in Cincinnati.
In 1982, the bank merged with the Reeves Banking and Trust Company.[11] Huntington acquired the tiny Savings Bank of Chillicothe, Ohio, in the early 1980s, which gained some fame in 2011 when 100-year-old June Gregg revealed to Huntington officials that her father had opened a savings account for her as a baby with Savings Bank in 1913 and that she had kept the account open. Huntington officials later confirmed it and gave her account a temporary interest rate increase to 5% as a centenarian present for her 98-year loyalty to Huntington and the Chillicothe branch's predecessor, Savings Bank.[12]
In 1983, the bank acquired Cleveland-based Union Commerce Bank.[13] In 1997, it acquired First Michigan Bank Corporation of Holland, Michigan.[14][15][16]
