KNOXVILLE Tennessee
The First National Bank of Knoxville
$47 Oct. 13, 1868
Founded during the rapid rebuilding that followed the Civil War, the First National Bank of Knoxville served a city emerging as one of East Tennessee’s key commercial centers. Knoxville’s economy in the late 1860s blended traditional agriculture with growing industrial ambitions, supported by new rail connections that linked the region to major northern markets. National Banks like this one helped stabilize local finance after years of wartime disruption, providing reliable credit and facilitating interstate trade. By issuing checks drawn on New York correspondents, the bank positioned Knoxville firmly within the expanding postwar national economy.