Church was banking on Burbank’s future

CRAIG BULLOCK

For more than a century, Burbank has transformed itself from rural

town to thriving city. Burbank’s transformation has been and

continues to be shaped by the many people in our community. The

actions of people in Burbank’s early days created the foundation of

this transformation that we continue to build upon today. Ralph O.

Church, one of Burbank’s earliest activists, helped lay the

foundation that changed our community.

Church came to Burbank from Marshalltown, Iowa, to visit his

parents in Los Angeles. He intended to stay only 30 days to assist

his father, H.A. Church, in opening Burbank’s first bank. That bank,

Burbank State Bank, opened April 1, 1908. The original bank officers

were H.A. Church, president; A.O. Kendall, vice-president, and Ralph

O. Church, cashier. The bank occupied a single-story building that

cost $1,000 on San Fernando Road near Olive Avenue, which were still

dirt roads at the time, and was neighbored by a livery stable.

Burbank’s population at that time was fewer than 500. The bank was

tremendously popular with the small community.

Early Burbankers rushed to deposit their money, since they had

mostly kept their entire savings at their homes. Ralph Church later

recalled how much of the money “had to be washed because it had been

dug up from hiding places in backyards throughout Burbank. They

brought it to me in cans, in old envelopes and gunny sacks. Some of

it was so moldy that the denominations were barely distinguishable,

but most of it was in silver.”

Burbank’s largest landholder of the time, O.J. Stough, made the

first and largest deposit of $500. Customers stood under oil lamps

that illuminated the bank while being served ice cream and cake.

Deposits on the first day reached $30,000. By the end of year, bank

deposits had reached $50,000, and by the end of 1909, deposits

reached $82,000.

Under his father’s guidance, Ralph Church became a good banker and

trusted businessman. Church, though, didn’t limit himself to his

banking activities, and quickly immersed himself into the politics of

Burbank.

Ralph O. Church dove into the politics of the young town by

spearheading the effort to extend the Pacific Electric Car to

Burbank. He believed the Pacific Electric Car would bring much needed

commerce to the growing town. He applied his business savvy,

organizational abilities and leadership qualities to attracting

enough residents to support his efforts. Ultimately, he was

successful in his endeavors, and the Pacific Electric Car arrived.

By 1911, Church’s influence had significantly grown. His

successful effort to bring the Pacific Electric Car to Burbank

brought him respect and prestige in the small town. He supported the

city’s efforts to incorporate, which it did in July 1911. Burbank’s

incorporation created a board of trustees charged with governing the

new city. Ralph O. Church became the city’s first treasurer. He was

determined to make Burbank an economically thriving town, and his

position as city treasurer would help him pursue his goal.

As the city’s first treasurer, Church used his experience as a

banker to guide the city through its early years. It was a busy time

for Church, since he was still a banker. The growth of Burbank, as

well as the surrounding areas, ensured that change happened quickly,

and reactions needed to be quick to accommodate these changes. He

became convinced that Burbank’s growing population demanded that jobs

be created, as the agricultural economy was disappearing with the

rapid development of Burbank’s land.

He spearheaded the effort that successfully brought the Moreland

Motor Truck Company to Burbank. His innovation and business savvy

lured the Moreland Truck Company away from its original destination

to Burbank. This created the jobs that were needed, and put Burbank

on the map as a friendly place to do business. By 1920, when Moreland

opened, it represented the largest factory, employer and investment

Burbank had ever witnessed.

Ralph O. Church never moved back to Marshalltown, Iowa. He made

Burbank his home and contributed countless hours to the betterment of

his community. His actions and accomplishments are proof that one

person can make a difference in shaping their community. His service,

along with others, laid the foundation for Burbank’s transformation,

which has made Burbank the thriving city it is.

* CRAIG BULLOCK is the chairman of the Burbank Heritage

Commission. Reach him at brbnkheritagecom@aol.com.