The Kentucky Joint Stock Land Bank of Lexington was incorporated on April 4, 1922 as part of the Federal Land Bank System to operate in Kentucky and Ohio. The Land Bank System was established by Congress to provide long term funding for agricultural purposes, usually in the form of real estate mortgages. The company was headquartered in the Security Trust Building and maintained a branch office in Wapakoneta, Ohio. The bulk of the company's loans were made in the fertile Bluegrass and Miami Valley regions.
The Kentucky Joint Stock Land Bank was affiliated with the Security Trust Company and Charles N. Manning served as its Chairman during the bank's existence. In addition, the Kentucky Joint Stock Land Bank had a common directorship with the Security Trust Company.
The company discontinued active lending during 1947, when its loans and assets were taken over by other land banks. During its existence, the company never incurred a loss on a farm loan and had less than fifty foreclosures (in most cases to assist in the liquidation of estates). This is a remarkable record considering the depressed farm values of the 1930s.
