Kaw Valley Bank celebrates 150 years
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – A local bank is celebrating 150 years of business.
Kaw Valley Bank, located at 1110 N Kansas Ave., started out as Oakland State Bank in north Topeka in 1870. In the 1920’s Glenn Swogger Sr. and his father J.S. Swogger, purchased Oakland State Bank and in 1933 changed the name to Kaw Valley State Bank.
In 1965, Kaw Valley State Bank moved its headquarters to it’s present location and the name was changed to Kaw Valley Bank.
“We are one of the oldest banks in the area,” Kaw Valley Bank President, Craig Heideman said. “Through a series of mergers, the bank eventually ended up in north Topeka and became Kaw Valley Bank.”
Kaw Valley Bank now has eight locations in Topeka.
“We were going to celebrate our anniversary this year with a street party but with COVID-19, we have had to cancel that celebration,” Heideman said. “We are now purchasing gift cards from area businesses and will give them to people in the community.”
Heideman also said the bank is collaborating with the Topeka Zoo and Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library. They’ll be donating 150 tickets to the zoo and giving away 150 red bud trees in honor of Redbud Park.
