"Anything, everything is possible", America propels into the modern world
1908 proved to be a monumental year in American history and has become known as the year that changed everything. As Thomas Edison said in 1908, “Anything, everything is possible”. Achievements such as the longest flight by Wilbur Wright and Henry Ford’s production of the Model T Ford propelled America into the modern world.

St. Mary’s Bank opens its doors as the nation’s first Credit Union
In 1908, Monsignor Pierre Hevey, Pastor of Sainte-Marie’s parish in Manchester, New Hampshire, organized what was soon to be known as the first credit union. The goal was to help the primarily Franco-American mill workers save and borrow money. On November 24, 1908 we officially opened our doors at St. Mary’s Bank and became the first credit union in the nation.

St. Mary’s Bank begins operations in the home of our first president, Joseph Boivin
In a rent free room pictured here, in the home of Attorney Joseph Boivin, the credit union’s first president, St. Mary’s began operations rather modestly. Transactions were conducted during evening hours only with an all-volunteer staff, which assisted with daily activities.

Gilberte Boivin-Amyot Brosseau
Gilberte Boivin-Amyot Brosseau (June 9, 1905 – July 7, 2006), daughter of St. Mary’s first president, Attorney Joseph Boivin, recalls the time when she lived in the home and describes the early years of the credit union. Listen to some of her memories here. More of her memories can be found in our media room.

St. Mary’s Bank moves into its own offices
For our first five years of existence, the credit union’s first president Joseph Boivin, conducted transactions in his home on Notre Dame Avenue in Manchester. St. Mary’s continued to prosper, and in 1913, we moved into our first offices on 330 Notre Dame Ave. in Manchester.

Board members vote to install a private telephone in the office
In 1916, board members vote to install a private telephone in the office, hire a full time paid manager at a salary of $100 a month and expand our office hours. Effective December 4, 1916, St. Mary's Bank office was open to the public on weekdays from 10 am to 1 pm, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 7pm to 9pm, and on Saturdays from 10 am to noon.

The idea of Betty Crocker hatched as a Washburn-Crosby Company advertising tool
Betty Crocker was actually a persona created due to a huge demand for baking advice. Washburn-Crosby Company decided to make the responses intimate and created Betty Crocker, "Betty" which connotes warmth, and Crocker, the last name of a retired company executive.

St. Mary's Bank assets exceed $1 million
Our focus at St. Mary's on serving our members and the community is evidenced by our growth. In 1923, the assets at St. Mary's exceeded $1 million.

The Currier Museum of Art opens in Manchester, New Hampshire
Adding to the area's diverse culture, Manchester welcomed the opening of The Currier Museum of Art, originally known as the Currier Art Gallery. Former New Hampshire Governor Moody Currier left a provision in his will to provide funding for a museum. Although he wasn't an art enthusiast himself, he wanted to establish an art museum "for the benefit and advancement of humanity".
Image: Emily Moulton by Samuel Miller. Courtesy of the Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, New Hampshire. Museum Purchase: Currier Funds and Ruth W. Higgins Memorial Fund, 1976.27

St. Mary's Bank moves to "The Marble Building"
The charm and history of "The Marble Building" is seen as the center of Manchester’s West Side. Built in 1930, the historic building was home to St. Mary's Bank until 1970.

St. Mary’s remains open during "Bank Holiday" declared by FDR
Dedicated to strength and stability, we at St. Mary’s guided our members through difficult economic times. When thousands of banks failed during the Great Depression, we kept our doors open to our members. St. Mary’s remained open during the “Bank Holiday” declared by President Roosevelt, that all banking institutions must close. St. Mary’s proved we could endure through economic disruptions. Photo: The Manchester community gathers on Elm St for the National Recovery Act Parade in November of 1933. Courtesy of the Manchester, NH Historic Association

FDR signs the Federal Credit Union Act
In 1934, the Federal Credit Union Act was signed into law by President Roosevelt. The act authorized the formation of federally chartered credit unions in all states. The law was signed in order to make credit available and promote thrift through a national system of nonprofit, cooperative credit unions.

Earl Tupper of Berlin, New Hampshire invents Tupperware
Earl Tupper of Berlin, New Hampshire, invented Tupperware in 1938. The innovative plastic containers were not welcomed at first. Consumers were confused as to how the lids worked and sales lagged. Tupper hired Brownie Wise to develop a marketing strategy incorporating home demonstrations, which proved to be the successful direct selling system we see today.

The first M&M's are sold
While on a trip to Spain, Forrest Mars, Sr. encountered soldiers eating pellets of chocolate surrounded by a hard sugary shell, which prevented the chocolate from melting. Inspired, he returned home and invented what we now know as M&M's Plain Chocolate Candies. M&M's became a favorite of the American soldiers serving in World War II since they were a convenient snack that traveled well in any climate.

"Live Free or Die" becomes New Hampshire's official motto
"Live Free or Die" was voiced by New Hampshire's most distinguished hero of the Revolutionary War, General John Stark in 1809. As the successful end of World War II approached in 1945, the New Hampshire Legislature adopted the quote as its official motto.

New Hampshire holds the First-in-the-Nation Primary
New Hampshire simplified its ballot access laws to help increase voter turnout. In the "beauty contest" of 1952, Republican Dwight Eisenhower out-polled the favored Robert A. Taft, demonstrating his broad voter appeal. The first-in-the-nation New Hampshire primary has since become an important, yet informal measurement of a candidate's voter appeal.

St. Mary's Bank assets exceed $6 million and several thousand members are served
St. Mary's continued to grow, and we were able to offer a variety of products and services to members. In addition to the traditional products, we also offered Christmas Club accounts, safe deposit boxes and a wider variety of loan products. By 1955, our credit union served several thousand members and increased our assets to over $6 million. This picture shows members conducting business inside the lobby of our Marble Building.

One gallon of gas costs $0.24
In 1958, cars continued to get bigger and heavier. Foreign cars were gaining popularity with Datsuns and Toyotas added to the import list. The cost of one gallon of gas was $0.24.

The first American in space
May 5, 1961 marked one of America's most triumphant days in history, when from Cape Canaveral, Florida, Navy Commander Alan Bartlett Shepard, Jr. launched into space. The successful suborbital flight, which lasted fifteen minutes, was a victory for NASA and marked Shepard, a Derry, New Hampshire native, as the first American to travel into space.

The New Hampshire Lottery becomes the nation's first lottery
Seeing Sweepstakes as a viable method of raising revenue for education, State Representative Larry Pickett pushed for a New Hampshire Sweepstakes Bill. The bill was signed by Governor John King in 1963. With district voter approval of the bill, Sweepstakes tickets went on sale March 12, 1964. Governor King himself purchased the first lottery ticket at Rockingham Park, in Salem, New Hampshire.

St. Mary's Bank builds and moves into its present main office on McGregor Street
For 40 successful years, we were proud to call the "Marble Building" our home. In 1970, we began a new chapter of our history when we built and moved into our present main office on McGregor Street in Manchester.

"I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke" television ad is released
Surprisingly, the famous Coca Cola ad "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke" was originally a flop. The first ad spots, released in the radio market, never caught the public's attention. Through the vision of a young creative artist, the company decided they needed a visual approach. The television ad debuted in July, 1971 and was an overnight success. "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke" struck a deep chord with its viewers and has remained one of the greatest commercials of all time.

MTV hits the airwaves
On August 1, 1981, MTV debuted and aired the first music video called "Video Killed the Radio Star" by the Buggles. The influence of Music Television was revolutionary. MTV impacted both the music and television markets and continues to be a Pop Culture icon today.

St. Mary's Bank opens second branch-Elm Street
Continuing our dedication to serving our members' needs, we at St. Mary's opened the door to our second branch located on Elm Street in 1985.

St. Mary's Bank introduces Community Outreach Programs
Staying true to our dedication to our members and the community, we introduced our Community Outreach Programs in 1995. Through these initiatives to date, St. Mary's has committed nearly $30 million to aid the underserved families in our communities.

Crayola produces its 100 billionth crayon
Binney & Smith invented the Crayola crayon in response to the need for a "kid-friendly crayon". Crayola, which means "oily chalk", launched the first green and yellow box of crayons in 1903 and created an overnight success. On February 6, 1996, they demonstrated their ongoing success when they produced their 100 billionth crayon.

Former home of St. Mary's Bank is accepted into the National Register of Historic Places
In early 1997, the former home of the nation's first credit union was accepted into the National Register of Historic Places.

The world's largest barrel is built in Fremont, New Hampshire
Spaulding & Frost Cooperage of Fremont, New Hampshire crafted the world's largest wooden barrel, now located at the Red Hook Ale Brewery in Portsmouth. The massive barrel stands 16 feet high, stretches 10 feet wide and tips the scale at 2,450 pounds.

The American Credit Union Museum opens on Notre Dame Avenue
The building where Attorney Boivin first conducted business of the credit union starting in 1908, became America's Credit Union Museum in 2002. The museum, located on Notre Dame Avenue, serves as a historical and educational site for the credit union movement.

The "Old Man in the Mountain" succumbs to the ravages of time
A state icon, which appears on the State Quarter and license plates, was personified through a rock profile carved by receding glaciers approximately 10,000 years ago. During his long life he survived many environmental assaults; however experts presume the harsh weather of the White Mountains contributed to his demise when he crumbled on May 3, 2003. The passing of the Old Man in the Mountain was deeply mourned by the people of New Hampshire who deemed him the "First Citizen" of New Hampshire.

The number of Credit Union members in the US tops 80 million
The original philosophy that credit unions were "not for profit, not for charity, but for service," has prevailed through the years. The steady growth of memberships indicates consumers recognize the value of credit union membership. Members benefit financially with lower loan rates and higher savings yields. In 2007, the number of credit union members exceeded 80 million, demonstrating that credit unions are gaining popularity as an alternative to traditional profit-driven financial institutions.

St. Mary's Bank celebrates its 100^th Anniversary
Today, St. Mary's Bank serves nearly 60,000 individuals, families and businesses throughout New Hampshire. Membership is still open to everyone, just as it was in 1908. It's not just outstanding products and services that make it a financial institution like no other, but an unwavering dedication to members and community. St. Mary's Bank is the place where every member has a stake, and every voice is heard. It's the place where people work tirelessly to make dreams come true for this generation and the next. It's the place where you belong, today and tomorrow.