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What happened to Merchants Marine Bank?
Merchants Marine Bank in Port Isabel, TX (earlier called Merchants Marine State Bank) failed, and FirstBank of Los Fresnos, TX took it over on Mar 16, 1989. After 3 more changes of hands, what was Merchants Marine Bank is today part of Wells Fargo Bank, National Association (Sioux Falls, SD).
The chain, step by step
From the day it opened to the bank at the end of the chain today. Each step is one entry in the FDIC's record.
- 1960Merchants Marine State Bank opens in Port Isabel, TX
- Feb 4, 1974renamed Merchants Marine Bank
- Mar 16, 1989FAILEDMerchants Marine Bank failed, and FirstBank of Los Fresnos, TX took it over.FDIC certificate 18183 ends; its business continues under certificate 12508.
- Jun 1, 1995MERGEDFirstBank of Los Fresnos, TX merged into First Valley Bank of Harlingen, TX.FDIC certificate 12508 ends; its business continues under certificate 11166.
- Mar 20, 1999MERGEDFirst Valley Bank of Harlingen, TX merged into Norwest Bank Texas, National Association of San Antonio, TX.FDIC certificate 11166 ends; its business continues under certificate 14533.
- Nov 21, 2003MERGEDNorwest Bank Texas, National Association (by then renamed Wells Fargo Bank Texas, National Association) of San Antonio, TX merged into Wells Fargo Bank, National Association of Sioux Falls, SD.FDIC certificate 14533 ends; its business continues under certificate 3511.
- TodayOPEN
Wells Fargo Bank, National AssociationMain office Sioux Falls, SD · FDIC certificate 3511 · 4,157 offices in 40 states on June 30, 2026Every Wells Fargo Bank, National Association office → Website on file with the FDIC: www.wellsfargo.com
If you still have something from Merchants Marine Bank
A lien that was never released
Merchants Marine Bank failed on Mar 16, 1989. For a failed bank placed in FDIC receivership, the FDIC may be able to issue the lien release, if the loan was paid off to the bank before it failed or to the FDIC afterward. The FDIC says that where a failed bank had an acquirer, its records in most cases went to that acquirer. Here the chain from the acquirer leads to Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, which is worth asking too.
Requests go through the FDIC Information and Support Center with the recorded mortgage or title, and proof of payoff. The FDIC says to allow 30 business days once it has every document, and does not take requests by phone or email. Questions: FDIC Resolution Inquiries, 888-206-4662, 8am–4pm Central on weekdays.
An old account, passbook or CD
When a healthy bank assumes a failed bank's deposits, insured depositors become its customers right away (here, FirstBank). Start with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association, and ask them to search under the name Merchants Marine Bank.
This failure is older than the current federal rule on unclaimed deposits (mid-1993), so different rules apply. Search FDIC unclaimed funds search, search the unclaimed-property program of the state of the owner's last known address on the bank's records, and ask FDIC Resolution Inquiries at 888-206-4662 what applies to this institution.
A safe deposit box
The FDIC says that when a healthy bank assumes a failed bank's deposits, the branches usually reopen the next business day with box access. Today, ask Wells Fargo Bank, National Association. A box abandoned for years may have been turned over to the state's unclaimed-property program.
Box contents are not covered by FDIC insurance.
Not sure this is your bank?
Many banks shared a name. Match the city and the years above against your paperwork, or search again with the town.
Credit unions were never FDIC-insured and are not in this record; the NCUA credit union lookup covers those. Banks that closed before about 1970 are not in the FDIC's list either.
One caution: banks also sell single branches. If the office you used was sold to a different bank along the way, the account went with the branch, not with this chain.
This page is drawn from FDIC records and federal guidance. It is not legal advice, and BankBranches is not a bank or a government office. More detail: lien releases · old passbooks and CDs · safe deposit boxes · unclaimed money.
Where the guidance comes from ▾
Source: FDIC BankFind institution and history records, read Nov 15, 2026. The FDIC's list covers banks that ended in about 1970 or later. Look up certificate 18183 in the FDIC BankFind Suite to see the government's own entry. Corrections: me@byclaude.net.