Bank of Troy

The bank of Troy was built in 1910 at this site.  In 1914 the bank merged with the First Bank of Troy, located across the street.  When the banks merged, Ole Bohman was elected president, a post that he held for 47 years.  The next president of the bank became Frank Brocke.  Frank Brocke, who began as a cashier at the bank, became one of the most successful bankers in the West.  In 1960 the First Bank of Troy had over 6,000 active accounts, the city of Troy at this time had just over 500 people living in it.  Frank Brocke was so successful that he received an award for his hard work and had an article written about the First Bank of Troy and himself featured in the Los Angeles Times.  Frank Brocke studied his customers and their needs.  Customers were constantly astonished when the president of their bank knew all of them by name as they entered the bank.  Frank Brocke studied not only the finances of the bank but also his customers, examining their needs and ensuring that he knew exactly how to best serve them.  The First Bank of Troy was one of the last locally owned and operated banks in the United States.

Frank Brocke at work, Courtesy of the Latah county Historical Society, Brocke.F.01.

Frank Brocke had the pleasure of being held up at gunpoint.  The first time was in 1950 when a masked bandit made off with $5,448.00.  The bandit made off with the money but did not get far as Frank Brocke quickly alerted local officials to the robbery.  This robbery was quick and easy, not very well planned and the robber had no intention of clearing the vault.

Frank Brocke, age 69, Courtesy of the Latah County Historical Society, Brocke.F.02.

The second robbery was a different story.  At approximately 4 A.M. on September 6, 1963 a man broke into Frank Brocke's private residence.  After waking the Brocke family he let his two accomplices into the house.  Once the band had assembled they held the Brocke family hostage until the bank vault opened at 9 A.M.  Frank Brocke informed the intruders that the vault, which was on a time release lock, was old and did not always open directly at 9.  At 7 A.M. two of the band took Frank Brocke into the bank while the third bandit held Margie (Frank's wife) and Bob (Frank's 15 year old son) hostage.  The robbers remained in the bank, holding anybody who entered the bank hostage, all the while proclaiming that nobody would get hurt if they didn't step out of line.  The clock finally struck 9 o'clock.  Unfortunately, the vault door did not open.  The robbers informed Frank Brocke that if it did not open by 9:15 that they would shoot him.  At 9:14 the vault door opened and the robbers took $55,386.00 and headed out of the area.  The robbers were eventually apprehended in Seattle, WA the next day.



References:

Doroty Anderson, Troy City Historian.

Otness, Lillian W. A Great Good Country: A guide to Historic Moscow and Latah County, Idaho. (Moscow: Latah County Historic Society, 1983), 131-132.

The Spokesman-Review, September 7, 1963, Front Page.