Nutmeg Nationals

The Mystic River National Bank building still stands at the entrance to the historic Mystic Village which straddles the towns of Groton and Stonington. The town itself is known nationally for its association with the movie Mystic Pizza starring Julia Roberts. Locally and historically speaking it was a ship building town and is also home to the Mystic Seaport Museum.

For being such a small “town”, as it were, it makes sense that there would be such a prominent banking institution. More than 600 ships were built beginning in 1784 making the town a prime location for which to service passers through and workers alike.

The Bank was successful enough that the bankers ordered engraved signatures for their Series 1902 notes at an additional cost as seen here on my large size $5 Plain Back.

Being such a small town/village in the state from which I collect, Mystic hosts a personal sense of significance for me. It’s where I got engaged and eventually married.

On the eastern side of the river, just by the bridge I proposed to my now wife. A short time later, in a small intimate ceremony, we were married in the same location and were blessed with a cooperative low tourist volume day on which to document the event.