West Shore Bank celebrating 125 years

January 27, 2023

State Savings Bank early 1900s. This was the bank’s second building, built in 1902 on the southwest corner of State and Main streets in Scottville.

West Shore Bank celebrating 125 years

LUDINGTON — West Shore Bank is celebrating its quasquicentennial anniversary this year. June 30, 2023 will mark 125 years in which West Shore Bank has served the community as a local bank and remained committed to helping the people and businesses along the lakeshore improve their financial well- being.

The bank was founded as State Savings Bank of Scottville in a one-story brick building in downtown Scottville by banker Curtis W. MacPhail, father of baseball legend Leland “Larry” Stanford MacPhail (who later changed the name to McPhail). 

“Since 1898 West Shore Bank has helped families and businesses in our local communities in countless ways,” said West Shore Bank President and CEO Raymond Biggs. “While the bank has changed over the years through growth, bank acquisitions, a name change, and rebranding, our commitment to you hasn’t. We remain vigilant in maintaining our independence and believe building stronger communities where we live and work is core to who we are and our customer’s success.”

“In the bank’s 125-year history, we have seen growth and change including surviving the banking crisis of the early 1930s to shifting its products and services to reach a growing digitally dependent audience in recent years,” Biggs said. “West Shore Bank’s ability to stand the test of time by remaining locally owned and managed has set the stage year-after-year to focus efforts on driving community economic growth as well as making a difference in our customers lives from generation to generation.”

Today, West Shore Bank employs over 120 people with nine full-service banking offices in Mason, Oceana, Manistee, Benzie and Grand Traverse counties. Its continued effort on the mission of “Making A Real Difference” has been recognized by The Institute for Extraordinary Banking as one of the top extraordinary banks in the United States for Financial Literacy Education, being featured in Forbes and Fortune magazines and MyNorth Media “Red Hot Best – Best Places to Bank”, along with several other community awards and accolades.

Celebrations are being planned and will be announced as the year progresses. The bank’s anniversary logo will be used during the year to commemorate the 125-year anniversary.”

Read about the bank’s history here

Read about the McPhail family here. 

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Mike Shaw