About Us: Bank History

The history of Alliance Bank is long and actually encompasses three separate banks. The origin goes back to 1888 with the organization of the Bank of Mondovi, the first bank in Buffalo County. This entity became a State Charter bank in 1891, and was originally located at 126 S. Eau Claire Street in Mondovi, WI. On February 17, 1901 Bank of Mondovi converted from a State Charter to a National Bank subsequently changing its name to The First National Bank Of Mondovi. In January of 1974 the bank built a new building and relocated to its current location at 245 S. Eau Claire Street, Mondovi, WI.

The second bank that makes up the present Alliance Bank originated on August 4, 1901 as the Buffalo County Bank. In November of 1901 a new bank building was created to house the bank at 201 S. Eau Claire Street, Mondovi, WI. On June 10,1918 this organization changed its name to the Mondovi State Bank. In 1938, the Mondovi State Bank acquired the Gilmanton State Bank (which was incorporated in 1910) and converted it to a branch. This worked very well for the bank as it was only 8 miles away.

On August 1, 1988 the First National Bank Of Mondovi and the Mondovi State Bank merged to form the Bank of Mondovi, a State Charter Bank. This merger effectively consolidated the oldest and second oldest financial institutions in Buffalo County. In 1991 the Bank of Mondovi, urged by Osseo business representatives, successfully bid and purchased the former Durand Federal Savings and Loan building located in Osseo, WI. This location opened on July 1, 1991 and provided a great facility for continuing our growth within a new community.

With this addition it became feasible to expand and improve the data processing operation of both the Bank of Mondovi and the Bank of Buffalo, a financial institution located in southern Buffalo County. Through the combined effort of both institutions a new data processing facility was created capable of serving area financial institutions in 1997, the Central Processing Center.

The third banking component of the Alliance Bank system is the Bank of Buffalo with its branch in Bluff Siding. In 1908, the Famers and Merchants State Bank originated in Cochrane, WI. This organization was closed in 1940 as a result of complications of the Depression, however the desire to open a new bank started immediately. In 1942, local citizens of Cochrane, WI were successful in opening the Cochrane State Bank. This bank outgrew its original facility resulting in construction of a new building and moving to its current location at 103 S. Main Street, Cochrane, WI in 1969. As growth continued the 1st addition was completed in 1977, and a branch was built in Bluff Siding in 1984 (a community located in the Town of Buffalo, WI). This branch was constructed to better serve customers in the Fountain City, WI and Winona, Minnesota areas. The creation of the new branch necessitated changing the name to more adequately describe the total area the growing bank served. Therefore the name changed from the Cochrane State Bank to the Bank of Buffalo. Continued growth resulted in the most recent major addition and remodeling project to the Cochrane Office in 2001.

At this point we had two separate financial institutions which covered significant portions of Buffalo and Trempealeau Counties. These institutions were locally owned and controlled by the same owners, and headed by the same Chief Executive Officer, therefore a decision was made to merge both institutions. On January 2, 2003 the State Banking Department of Wisconsin approved the merger of the Bank of Mondovi and the Bank of Buffalo. As part of the merger it was decided to change the name to again better reflect the image of the new combined institution to Alliance Bank. The present institution has five offices located in Bluff Siding, Cochrane, Gilmanton, Mondovi and Osseo. This provides extensive coverage of both Buffalo and Trempealeau counties. We are positioned to serve our customers, continually working to provide the absolute best service and products we can for you. You owe it to yourself to stop in and try us.