Ponder State Bank - Bonnie and Clyde - Ponder, TX
N 33° 11.000 W 097° 17.249
14S E 659653 N 3672916
While it didn't happen in real life, 1967's "Bonnie and Clyde" shows the couple striking out by attempting to rob a bank that had already gone bust three weeks earlier. The old Ponder State Bank stood in for the movie's Farmers State Bank.
Waymark Code: WMY0GM
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 03/27/2018
Views: 2
In the movie, around 17:27, Bonnie and Clyde pull up and park on the east side of the bank, along what has been Farm to Market Rd 156 since 1945. Clyde is obviously nervous -- in the previous scene, his assurances to Bonnie about the ease of robbing the bank were obviously more for his own sake than for hers, as Bonnie appears unfazed -- and after Bonnie asks why he's waiting, he storms the bank and yells to the teller that this is a robbery. The teller informs him that there's no money to be had, and Clyde's eyes case the interior of the bank, making him realize that the teller isn't lying. Clyde grabs the teller and pushes him out the front door, forcing him to tell Bonnie that yes, they've gone bust. As they drive off, Clyde shoots out a bank window in frustration as Bonnie laughs about the absurdity of the situation.
In reality, Bonnie and Clyde did not have this experience, and Frank Ballinger's outstanding Bonnie and Clyde site attributes the attempted real life heist to Barrow Gang associate, Raymond Hamilton. Ironically, Hamilton also took the fall and was sent to prison for a crime he didn't commit, the murder of Hillsboro gas station owner, John Bucher, which was committed by Barrow Gang member, Ted Rogers. Hamilton finally made his way to the electric chair in 1935, convicted of killing a prison guard.
This 1908 bank building was last used by the Ponder Boot Company, who are now in Fort Worth just south of the center of the historic Stockyards. The bank building has remained vacant for some time, but at last notice, there were plans by the Town of Ponder to move into the building next to the bank (the tan building with the awning in this scene), and once that was completed -- which has happened -- the old bank would eventually see use as a museum. Stay tuned. The bank is easily located, at 100 W Bailey St, at Bailey's intersection with FM 156.
Not visible in the scene is Ranchman's Café, aka The Ponder Steakhouse. They have outstanding food, and all over their walls are old news clippings from when this scene was being filmed, and the crew stopped in to eat. Watch carefully at the beginning of the scene and you'll see Grace "Pete" Jackson walking down the street, away from the bank. She was the long-time owner of the steakhouse, and you'll see her portrait inside. She was probably walking back to work when she exited the scene.