City Bank of Battle Creek had been in business since 1871 before opening this eight-story building on West Michigan Avenue at Jefferson (Capital) Avenue — Bank Corners — in 1916. In that year, the bank boasted about $2.8 million in total resources and $310,000 in capital, surplus and undivided profits. The bank would become part of the Federal Reserve System in 1920, changing its name to City National Bank. In 1938 the name would change again to First National Bank of Battle Creek, and decades later Michigan National.