Skip Navigation First State Bank of Illinois Online Banking Login Credit Card Login Site Search Deposit Borrow Locations Contact About PPP YouTube Facebook LinkedIn Home | About History Fortress Bank opened its doors as a commercial bank in 1904 as State Bank of Burnside (Illinois). Today, the bank operates with nine banking centers located in Peoria, Macomb, Monmouth, Carthage, LaHarpe, Hamilton, Blandinsville, and Colusa, Illinois, and Davenport, Iowa. The bank also operates loan production offices in Pekin, Illinois and Des Moines, Iowa. The foundation of Fortress Bank was built on providing best in class banking products and services to the agriculture based communities served by the bank. Over the years Fortress Bank has evolved into a full service commercial bank with expertise in business banking as well as mortgage lending. Fortress Bank is approaching $500 million in assets, a new record for the bank. Today our geographic service area covers a sizable expanse from central Illinois to central Iowa, and throughout the Midwest. Here is a brief overview of our historical milestones: In 1904 the bank opened for business as The State Bank of Burnside In 1941 the bank moved to LaHarpe, IL and became the State Bank of LaHarpeColusa and Monmouth First State expanded to the Peoria market in 2008 with a new loan production office in Peoria staffed by veteran Peoria bankers. The bank opened a new, full service banking center in 2012 In 2014 First State continued to expand its footprint with the opening of two new offices. A Quad Cities loan production office was opened in Bettendorf and a residential mortgage lending office in Pekin. With expansion beyond Illinois, a new brand was introduced in late 2017. First State Bank of Illinois became Fortress Bank. A full service banking center opened for business at East 53rd Street and Interstate 74 in Davenport in February 2018. Expansion continued in 2019 with the opening of a loan production office in the Des Moines metro area. The bank’s impressive growth is attributed to these three unique advantages: (1) Direct access to the bank’s decision makers who are some of the best business and mortgage bankers and advisers in the industry; (2) The first bank in the region to bring the latest cutting edge technology in banking to its customers; and (3) Innovative and responsible financial solutions to enable their clients access to the funding they need to make their dreams become reality. Adhering to sensible, conservative standards has kept Fortress Bank safe and secure for generations. Turn your home equity into cash Put your home equity to work for you; use it for college tuition, debit consolidation, home improvements & more! APPLY NOW The bank you can trust for your business Contributing to your success, allowing you to focus your efforts on running your businesses. VIEW PRODUCTS Region: Western Illinois Select Location Central Illinois Quad Cities Western Illinois Des Moines Debit Card Support Privacy Security Disclosures Member FDIC & Equal Housing Lender