[8] The Continental Bank and Trust Company was established on August 1, 1870[2][9] at the original Equitable Building at 120 Broadway.

[1] The bank went on to have its main office in several buildings, including one at 50 Wall Street facing what was then the New York Custom House.

[1] Founders included Jacob H. Schiff, H. B. Claflin, Marcellus Hartley, Robert L. Cutting, and Joseph Seligman.

[4] In 1929, "through the subscription of new money by more than three hundred and fifty Stock Exchange and Curb Exchange houses, individual partners and other Wall Street interests and the purchase of new stock by the bank's stockholders," the bank increased its capital funds from $2,500,000 to $20,000,000.

It decided to erect a new building that year, and began the development process with the oversight of the bank's president Frederick Harrison Hornby.

On October 9, 1929, the boards of both issued a joint announcement that they had approved a merger plan.

[5] On end of business on September 15, 1931, the consolidation of the Straus National Bank and Trust Company of New York with the Continental Bank was completed, and the merged institution acquired certain assets of the International Trust Company.

[1] On August 1, 1940, the Continental Bank and Trust Company celebrated its seventieth anniversary.

[9] With banker Rafael Carrión Sr. one of the largest stockholders, in 1947 the bank earned $804,000 in net profits.

It was said the deal would return $12,500,000 to Continental's shareholders, and transfer about $190,000,000 in resources to the Chemical Bank.