Morris Bank in Perry: Keeping history alive

The building located at 809 Carroll Street was built in 1905 and was originally the Houston Banking Company. This bank merged with the Perry Loan and Savings Bank in 1930 and ultimately moved out of the building. Over time, the building was used for several different businesses, but now, in 2020, it has gone back to its roots, as it is now the Perry branch of Morris Bank.

Ben Hulbert, Houston County Market President for Morris Bank, said in 2019, the bank had an interest in expanding its growing footprint in Houston County on into Perry.

“Since there were no bank buildings for sale, we started looking in the downtown area for buildings we could convert into a bank branch,” Hulbert said. “At that time, this building had basically been stripped down to just a shell on the inside. We convinced the owners to participate with us in a custom build agreement for a small banking center to include a lobby with two teller windows, a customer service area, a commercial banking department and a permanent mortgage office.”

After Perry Loan and Savings Bank moved out of the building, it became Perry’s Post Office in 1932. From 1965 to the present, the building passed through owners from several long-time Perry families including the Pritchetts, the Beckhams, the Goodroes, the Deloachs and had been the office for Jones Surveying up until 2018. In 2018, the building was purchased as a partnership between Ocmulgee Developments, LLC and Old Town Perry, LLC.

Hulbert said it was important to them to conserve the historical value of the building. While it came with many challenges, he said they are proud of the outcome.

“With help from the city of Perry and tremendous support and assistance from people like Ellie Loudermilk, president of the Perry Area Historical Society, and countless other community partners, we ended up with a beautiful building we are all proud of. This expansion for Morris Bank fits well within its long history as a community bank with a forward-looking appetite for growth and a strong emphasis on traditional values. The bank is reflective of relationship banking at its best with service-oriented people you know, a healthy balance sheet and a strong platform of products and technology that can support this market well into the future.”

When one first walks up to 809 Carroll Street, Hulbert said, on the steps they will see the original tile work that spells out, “Houston Banking Company.” Inside there is also a portion of the original tile, and the ceiling has its original woodwork. More improvements to the back of the building are to come, but Hulbert said the bank is officially open. Hulbert shared that they hope to have a grand opening the first week of August, where the staff will give tours of the building.

“This bank building is another good example of Morris Bank’s already significant investment in Houston County,” Hulbert said. “We love the building and we are all excited to be open for business in Perry.”

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