Border State Bank

/Home/1. Search Minnesota Home Mortgage/Home Mortgage - Headwaters Region, MN/Home Mortgage - Lake of the Woods County, MN/Home Mortgage - Baudette, MN

Border State Bank
605 Main Street
Baudette, MN
Phone: (218) 634-3300


Welcome to the Northland, Home of Border State Bank.

Life is different here. The pace is slower and there’s time to savor each moment.

Here at Border State Bank we promise to provide service beyond expectations to the people and communities of this great Northland.

Our History

Border State Bank began as Greenbush State Bank in 1935. Established during the midst of the Great Depression by a group of optimistic Greenbush citizens, the bank flourished under the direction of Ingvald Folland until he sold his shares in 1981. Bank assets at the time were 16 million. K.B. Trangsrud served as the new President of Greenbush State Bank until his retirement in 1985. Robert J. Hager was hired to succeed him as president and continues to serve the organization as CEO. Under Hager’s leadership the bank has seen tremendous growth. In the early 90’s, the bank’s ownership group purchased the Badger State Bank and in 1993 the two banks were merged under the common name of Border State Bank and the common ownership of the newly incorporated Border Bancshares.

Changes in demographics, economic factors and the direction of the banking industry led to a decision to expand. The group opened a bank in Roseau in 1995. To further diversify its economic base, additional banks were opened in Baudette, Minnesota in 1998 and International Falls, Minnesota in 2000. First National Bank, with locations in Thief River Falls and Middle River Minnesota, was purchased in 2002.

Currently Border State Bank operates seven banking locations: Greenbush, Badger, Roseau, Baudette, International Falls, Thief River Falls and Middle River. These, along with affiliations with several other Minnesota banks, Border Insurance Network and the Investment Centers of America, provide a complete line of financial services to northern Minnesota. Border State Bank assets currently stand at approximately $387 million.

Baudette

The earliest settlers of this region were the famed French fur trading voyageurs, and it is from one of their number, Joe Beaudette, that Baudette draws its name. Years later, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Scandinavian immigrants arrived in droves, searching for the cheap land promised by the Homestead Act. Many of these immigrants’ descendants still live in the surrounding country if not in Baudette itself.

Like the rest of the Northwestern Minnesota, Baudette is proud of its natural beauty. Two state parks, Zippel Bay and Franz Jevne, and berry and mushroom picking and wildlife watching possibilities are only a half-hour’s drive away. The massive Lake of the Woods is highly popular among local fishermen and swimmers.

Local events like Willie Walleye Day and Oktoberfest are eagerly anticipated every year, and Baudette is proud to boast one of the greatest 4th of July fireworks displays in miles.

Today, adventurers looking for four seasons of fishing and hunting drive the economy of Baudette, the Walleye Capital of the World. Two international companies have found a home along the Rainy River, as well. A Bosch vehicle testing track operates in and around the city.