In 1880, Mandan was a thriving village. Michael Lang, James Bellows, and Hiram R. Lyons reportedly strolled through town, recognized the need for a bank, sat on a pile of rock, and organized one. The First National Bank of Mandan was established on November 22, 1881. Its frame building stood where the three men had planned the bank, on Main Street near Front Street and Stark Avenue, now Collins Avenue. The bank owned the adjacent wood-frame corner building, occupied by Taylor Drug Company.
The bank's first officers were C. Edgar Haupt, president; James Bellows, vice president; and Hiram R. Lyons, cashier. Directors included Michael Lang, Le Reed, Haupt, Lovet Gill, Bellows, and Robert Hagar. Lang became vice president in 1884.
By 1906, deposits had increased twelvefold and the bank needed more space. The original frame buildings were moved, and the present two-story brick building was constructed across both sites at Main Street and Collins Avenue.
The building underwent three major expansions or remodelings. A two-story, 46-by-12-foot rear addition was completed in 1911. Rapid commercial growth in Mandan prompted a matching two-story north addition in 1927, increasing total floor space by approximately 60 percent. In 1948, the exterior was remodeled in the Greek Revival style. Arched openings were squared, an ashlar facade covered the arches, and a projecting pavilion and fretwork unified the exterior. "First National Bank" was engraved above the main entrance.
As was common during the 1920s, the bank issued its own paper currency. Counterfeiting and the need for tighter control over the money supply eventually ended the practice.
In September 1963, the bank moved to a new $350,000 (about $3,681,000 in 2025 dollars) building at 111 North Second Avenue NW, formerly the site of Remund Ford-Mercury. Meisner and Company of Bismarck was general contractor, with Sanitary Plumbing and Heating and Power Electric of Mandan as mechanical subcontractors. Robert M. Leslie was bank president.
The bank eventually joined Northwest Bancorporation, which became part of Wells Fargo. The original building is a contributing property in the Mandan Commercial Historic District, listed in 1985.
The building continues to house commercial services in the heart of Mandan, including law offices, a financial advisory and investment branch office, a coffee shop, occupational medical services, and a physical therapy practice. Its engraved "First National Bank" sign remains in place.