Rick Rothacker, author of Banktown: The Rise and Struggles of Charlotte's Big Banks, has been a reporter at the Charlotte Observer since 1998. He received the Gerald Loeb Award for beat writing in 2009 for his coverage of Wachovia. He lives in Charlotte, NC.

This timeline shows the chronology of events discussed in Banktown.

Banktown: The Rise and Struggles of Charlotte's Big BanksTimeline

1874: Commercial National Bank founded in Charlotte.
1879: Wachovia National Bank founded in what is now Winston-Salem.
1901: Southern States Company, later renamed American Trust, founded in Charlotte.
1908: Union National Bank founded in Charlotte.
1927: Charlotte branch of Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond opens.
1957: American Trust–Commercial National merger creates American Commercial.
1958: Union National–First National Bank and Trust merger creates First Union National Bank.
1960: American Commercial merges with Security National Bank to become North Carolina National Bank, or NCNB.
1977: John Medlin becomes CEO of Wachovia.
1983: Hugh McColl, Jr., becomes CEO of NCNB.
1984: Ed Crutchfield becomes CEO of First Union.
1985: Supreme Court upholds regional banking compacts.
1991: NCNB changes name to NationsBank after C&S/Sovran merger.
1994: Bud Baker succeeds John Medlin as Wachovia CEO.
1998: First Union buys the Money Store; NationsBank–BankAmerica merger creates Bank of America.
2000: Ken Thompson named First Union CEO.
2001: Ken Lewis named Bank of America CEO; First Union merges with Wachovia.
2006: Wachovia buys Golden West Financial.

Jan. 11, 2008: Bank of America buys Countrywide Financial.
Apr. 14, 2008: Wachovia announces $393 million first-quarter loss, dividend cut, capital raising.
June 2, 2008: Wachovia announces Ken Thompson’s retirement.
July 9, 2008: Bob Steel named Wachovia CEO.
Sept. 7, 2008: Treasury announces conservatorship for Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae.
Sept. 15, 2008: Bank of America announces deal to buy Merrill Lynch; Lehman Brothers files for bankruptcy; Bob Steel appears on Mad Money.
Sept. 21, 2008: Federal Reserve approves holding company status for Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, which had considered mergers with Wachovia.
Sept. 29, 2008: FDIC announces Citigroup purchase of Wachovia banking subsidiaries.
Oct. 3, 2008: Wells Fargo agrees to buy Wachovia; Congress approves TARP.
Oct. 13, 2008: U.S. government injects $125 billion into nine major banks.
Dec. 5, 2008: Shareholders approve Bank of America’s Merill Lynch acquisition.
Dec. 17, 2008: Bank of America tells government it’s considering escape clause in Merrill deal.
Dec. 31, 2008: Wells Fargo closes Wachovia deal.
Jan. 1, 2009: Bank of America closes Merrill deal.
Jan. 16, 2009: Bank of America discloses rescue package, Merrill’s $15 billion fourth-quarter loss.
Jan. 22, 2009: John Thain leaves Bank of America.
Apr. 29, 2009: Ken Lewis loses his chairmanship.
June–July 2009: Ken Lewis, Ben Bernanke, Henry Paulson testify before House Oversight and Government Reform Committee.
Sept. 30, 2009: Ken Lewis announces he’s retiring at year’s end.
Dec. 16, 2009: Bank of America board picks Brian Moynihan as new CEO.
Feb. 4, 2010: SEC announces $150 million settlement with Bank of America; New York attorney general files civil charges against Bank of America, Ken Lewis, and Joe Price.