America's Credit Union Museum
Encyclopedia
America's Credit Union Museum is located in Manchester, New Hampshire
, on the site of the first credit union
founded in the United States
. The museum, at 418-420 Notre Dame Avenue, is housed at the original location for St. Mary’s Cooperative Credit Association, renamed in 1925 to La Caisse Populaire Ste.-Marie, or “Bank of the People”, St. Mary’s. In 1996, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as the "Building at 418-420 Notre Dame Ave."
What is now the museum was formerly a three-story, three-family dwelling belonging to Joseph Boivin
, the manager of the St. Mary's Cooperative Credit Association. Boivin started the credit union with the help of Monsignor Pierre Hevey
and Alphonse Desjardins
. The building was donated to the museum by Mr. & Mrs. Armand Lemire. To create the museum, the first two floors were converted into exhibit space about credit union history in the United States. The first floor pays tribute to the founding era of the credit union from 1908-1933. The second floor has historical artifacts beginning from 1934, featuring the Estes Park conference that created CUNA
, and the 1934 Federal Credit Union Act
which enabled credit unions to be established in all states in the nation. The third floor contains a 65-person capacity meeting space with LCD projectors.
The museum received a $25,000 grant from the National Credit Union Foundation
in 2008 to expand its financial education program.
Currently the museum is open three days a week, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. There is no charge for admission.
Manchester, New Hampshire
Manchester is the largest city in the U.S. state of New Hampshire, the tenth largest city in New England, and the largest city in northern New England, an area comprising the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont. It is in Hillsborough County along the banks of the Merrimack River, which...
, on the site of the first credit union
Credit union
A credit union is a cooperative financial institution that is owned and controlled by its members and operated for the purpose of promoting thrift, providing credit at competitive rates, and providing other financial services to its members...
founded in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The museum, at 418-420 Notre Dame Avenue, is housed at the original location for St. Mary’s Cooperative Credit Association, renamed in 1925 to La Caisse Populaire Ste.-Marie, or “Bank of the People”, St. Mary’s. In 1996, the building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as the "Building at 418-420 Notre Dame Ave."
What is now the museum was formerly a three-story, three-family dwelling belonging to Joseph Boivin
Joseph Boivin
Attorney Joseph Boivin was a co-founder and first president of the first credit union established in the United States, St. Marie's Cooperative Credit Association. The son of Stanislas and Marie Boivin, Joseph Auguste Boivin was born September 21, 1866 in Coaticook,PQ, Canada. Mr. Boivin...
, the manager of the St. Mary's Cooperative Credit Association. Boivin started the credit union with the help of Monsignor Pierre Hevey
Monsignor Pierre Hevey
Monsignor Pierre Hevey was a leader of Ste. Marie Church in Manchester, New Hampshire in the early twentieth century. He played a key role in the establishment of the first credit union in the United States on November 24, 1908, to help his parishioners save money and access credit at a reasonable...
and Alphonse Desjardins
Alphonse Desjardins (co-operator)
Gabriel-Alphonse Desjardins , born in Lévis, Quebec, was the co-founder of the Caisses Populaires Desjardins , a forerunner of North American credit unions and community banks.- Early life :...
. The building was donated to the museum by Mr. & Mrs. Armand Lemire. To create the museum, the first two floors were converted into exhibit space about credit union history in the United States. The first floor pays tribute to the founding era of the credit union from 1908-1933. The second floor has historical artifacts beginning from 1934, featuring the Estes Park conference that created CUNA
Cuna
Cuna can refer to:* CUNA, Credit Union National Association* Kuna , of Panama and Colombia* Kuna language, spoken by the Kuna people* Cuna , a genus of bivalve mollusc...
, and the 1934 Federal Credit Union Act
Federal Credit Union Act
The Federal Credit Union Act is an Act of Congress enacted in 1934. The purpose of the law was to make credit available and promote thrift through a national system of nonprofit, cooperative credit unions...
which enabled credit unions to be established in all states in the nation. The third floor contains a 65-person capacity meeting space with LCD projectors.
The museum received a $25,000 grant from the National Credit Union Foundation
National Credit Union Foundation
The National Credit Union Foundation ' is the United States credit union movement’s primary national charitable fundraising organization for credit union development...
in 2008 to expand its financial education program.
Currently the museum is open three days a week, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. There is no charge for admission.
External links
- America's Credit Union Museum web site
- A video clip from a Tour of the museum, part one
- A video clip from a Tour of the museum, part two
- A video clip from a Tour of the museum, part three