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Record Group Number: 900000
Series/Collection Number: N2000- 7
Creator: Barnett Bank of Avon Park (Fla.)
Title, Dates: Barnett Bank of Avon Park records, 1930-1955.
Amount: 1.00 cubic ft.
Medium Included:
Organization/Arrangement: Chronological.
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Biographical/Historical:     By 1927 Florida real estate market collapsed; many Florida banks failed due to defaulted loans and the plunging price of real estate. Consequently, to halt their losses, some banks in Florida reorganized. In 1929 Barnett National Bank restructured its institution by selling a considerable share of the Barnett family's stock and creating the Barnett National Securities Corporation, a corporation like a modern bank holding company. This allowed the bank to expand into other areas without breaking Florida's laws and regulations limiting bank expansion. Donald M. Barnett, son of Bion Barnett, was predominately responsible for Barnett Bank's growth outside of Jacksonville, Florida.

    During 1929, at the request of businessmen, Barnett National Bank of Jacksonville received a charter to institute a Barnett Bank in Avon Park, Florida. On January 15, 1930, the Barnett National Bank of Avon Park opened. That branch grew to serve not only Avon Park but also surrounding areas in Highlands County. In 1954, the Barnett Bank sold its Avon Park branch to William S. Sottile of South Florida. Avon Park businessmen went to the State Comptroller to stop Sottile from acquiring Barnett Bank but their petition failed, and by 1955 the Barnett Bank of Avon Park became the Avon Citrus Bank.

Summary:     This collection primarily documents the annual financial transactions of the Barnett Bank of Avon Park. The files contain income tax schedules, corporate tax returns, capital stock tax returns, comparative statements of earnings and expenses, bonds and stocks owned and sold, statements of securities sold, and schedules of gains and losses from sales or exchanges of property.

    The collection also contains annual Director's Examinations and correspondence between Avon Park officers and the Jacksonville Board of Directors discussing routine business and personnel communications. There is also correspondence between bank officers at Avon Park and the Treasury Department relating to acknowledgement of receipt of letters pertaining to adjustments reflected by a report of an Internal Revenue Agent.

Finding Aids: Folder listing available. 0
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General Note: This collection was arranged and described from materials obtained from Barnett Banks, Inc. when the Barnett Bank records were transferred to the Florida State Archives between 1999 and 2002.
Electronic Records Access:
Subject Access Fields: Barnett, Donald Murray, 1892-1948
Barnett Bank of Avon Park (Fla.)
Barnett National Bank of Jacksonville (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Barnett National Securities Corporation (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Bank management Florida.
Banks and banking--History Florida
Avon Park (Fla.)
Highlands County (Fla.)
Added Entries