BANK OF SUNSET

In 1906, virtually all transactions were made with silver coinage, since paper money, or "greenbacks," was not the medium of exchange favored by the general public, especially in the Sunset area. This presented a problem to the local business community, as the old banks that supplied the silver coinage on which the Sunset economy was so dependent were located in New Orleans or Opelousas. Local merchants and businesses in the Sunset area had the choice of having the silver coinage shipped by the express - which was quite costly-or hauling it back to town by horse and wagon... During one such "haul," two heavy bags of coins, each containing $1,000 in silver, broke through the wagon's bed and fell to the roadway. The driver, unable to lift the bags by himself, was forced to wait on the side of the road for help to come along. It was after that incident that the citizens of Sunset decided the town needed its own bank... A group of local landowners, merchants, and businessmen, including..

Also known as: Bank of Sunset and Trust Company

Primary location: Louisiana United States