For more

than 100 years, when Fairburn residents have thought about banking,

the first word that pops into their heads is Fairbanco.

Established

in 1891, the bank just celebrated its 109th anniversary and the differences

are enormous now and then.

"We

were chartered with $25,000 in capital stock when we started. Now, our

assets are more than $140 million," said executive vice-president

Nina Ray.

To understand

how different things were just before the turn of the century, consider

these facts provided by Ray:

The railroads

were just being built to link many of the towns around Atlanta together.

Trolley

tracks lined the street.

Cokes were

a nickel.

The Wright

Brothers were just beginning to experiment with the idea of an airplane

in North Carolina.

Throughout

the years, the bank has emphasized one quality above everything else:

customer service. Ray said the bank placed fourth in this year's Quality

Service Awards from the Community Bankers Association, but hopes to

soon win the coveted title.

As you walk

through the doors, you get a feeling of coziness and comfort and Ray

said the bank is constantly striving to make people feel at home.

The bank

originally was on Broad Street, but caught fire in 1919. It was rebuilt

at the Broad Street location and then moved to its Washington Street

location in 1964 because it was growing so rapidly.

Today, the

bank has three other branches in Union City, Palmetto and Peachtree

City, and will offer Internet banking in the next four months, Ray said.

The bank

has more than 5,000 customers and is a big participant in civic clubs

and events such as Old Campbell County Homecoming, which is celebrated

this weekend.

The bank

has maintained its independence in these days of super-banks, and Ray

knows the reason.

"We've

had offers from other banks, but our employees own 42 percent of the

bank's stock and we don't want to sell," she said.

The bank

employees are commited to Fairburn and South Fulton County, she said.

"Our

motto is 'Bank where you're a neighbor, not a number,'" she said.