THE PUBLIC MIND: ONE BANK'S PROUD HERITAGE WENT UNTOLD IN EDITION

To the Editor:

Your article in the Southeast Missouri Progress Edition of March 4 regarding the history of banking in Cape Girardeau was insightful and well-written, yet you failed to properly disclose how Mercantile Bank entered the Cape Girardeau market.

You did refer to the Bank of Gordonville which was chartered in 1904 but you reported it later closed. Actually, the Bank of Gordonville relocated in Cape Girardeau in 1960 and became known as Cape State Bank and Trust. In 1973, Cape State Bank and Trust became a part of Mercantile Bancorporation and is known today as Mercantile Bank of Cape Girardeau.

We are proud of our institution's heritage. Like Cape Girardeau we have experienced positive change throughout the years and the support of this fine community has been the foundation of our success.

We've been serving the area since 1904 and felt this fact was not communicated in your article.

~~Karen Green

Marketing Director

Mercantile Bank

Cape Girardeau