Here's an interesting question: What State had the first national bank charter on the Pacific Coast, and what city was it in?
While most people may think the first national bank was in California — and may guess San Francisco as the city — the first national bank on the Pacific Coast was actually chartered in Portland, Oregon. It preceded any California national bank by five years.
On July 4, 1865, a group of merchants and civic-minded Portlanders banded together and applied for a national bank charter under the name "First National Bank of Oregon." After months of waiting, the group found out that the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency 
(OCC) had modified their application with a name of "First National Bank of Portland." The OCC believed the "Oregon" name too general and that it might confuse creditors as to the bank's physical location. Within months, the bank had national bank notes with its name and 1553 charter number on-hand to circulate in the local community. (Remember that the first charter granted to a California institution was #1741 in 1870.)
First National Bank of Portland was the only national bank in Oregon until another was chartered in 1882. Even after competition blossomed, First National grew to be the largest bank in Oregon. It was known as a conservatively run bank, with regional correspondents in nearly all communities throughout the State.
In 1930, First National Bank of Portland became the cornerstone holding of A.P. Giannini's start at building an interstate banking network — Transamerica — long before others saw the need. With Giannini's support, First National Bank of Portland continued an amazing growth trend, through acquisitions and new branch openings, even during the depth of the Great Depression.
In 1981, the old "First National" freshened up its name as First Interstate Bank of Oregon, N.A., part of a uniform banking franchise that spanned eleven western states. Fifteen years later, First Interstate Bank of Oregon would cede its banking charter as part of FIB's merger with Wells Fargo.
Consequently, Wells Fargo has roots not only to the first national bank in California, but also the first national bank on the West Coast!
Ryan, I have enjoyed your posts on bank charters. I recently read on the Wells Fargo - Wachovia blog that the merger of the Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., Wachovia Bank, N.A. and Wachovia Bank of Delaware, N.A. charters is scheduled for March 20, 2010 pending OCC approval. I'm curious to know if the combined bank will be using Wachovia's national charter #1. Thanks.
I have confirmed that the merger of the two bank charters in Spring, 2010, will be constructed as Wachovia Bank, NA, merging into Wells Fargo Bank, NA, while allowing Wells Fargo Bank, NA, to retain OCC Charter #1.
Ryan, a truly outstanding job of bringing history alive. Keep up the good work. And who thought banking was boring!