History of Our Firm

JP Morgan Chase's corporate headquarters are in New York City. Our retail financial services and commercial banking headquarters are in Chicago. Our major legacy institutions — J.P. Morgan, Chase Manhattan, Chemical, Manufacturers Hanover, Bank One, First Chicago, and National Bank of Detroit — contributed significantly to the development of communities worldwide. Our corporate history is intertwined with innovations in finance and the globalization of the world economy.

Key transactions leading up to the formation of JP Morgan Chase include the following:

• In 1991, Chemical Banking Corp. combined with Manufacturers Hanover Corp., keeping the name Chemical Banking Corp., then the second-largest banking institution in the United States.
• In 1995, First Chicago Corp. merged with National Bank of Detroit's parent NBD Bancorp., forming First Chicago NBD, the largest banking company based in the Midwest.
• In 1996, Chase Manhattan Corp. merged with Chemical Banking Corp., creating what was then the largest bank holding company in the United States.
• In 1998, Banc One Corp. merged with First Chicago NBD, taking the name Bank One Corp. Merging subsequently with Louisiana's First Commerce Corp., Bank One became the largest financial services firm in the Midwest, the fourth-largest bank in the U. S. and the world's largest Visa credit card issuer.
• In 2000, J.P. Morgan & Co. merged with Chase Manhattan Corp., in effect combining four of the largest and oldest money center banking institutions in New York City (J.P. Morgan, Chase, Chemical and Manufacturers Hanover) into one firm called J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.

These mergers culminated in July 2004 with the joining of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. and Bank One Corp. to form today's JP Morgan Chase & Co. Fortune magazine said "the combined bank will be big and strong in a panoply of businesses," adding that "the deal has been widely lauded" by investment analysts. The New York Times said the merger "would realign the competitive landscape for banks" by uniting the investment and commercial banking skills of J.P. Morgan Chase with the consumer banking strengths of Bank One.

In 2008, JP Morgan Chase & Co. acquired The Bear Stearns Companies Inc., strengthening its capabilities across a broad range of businesses, including prime brokerage, cash clearing and energy trading globally. Also in 2008, JP Morgan Chase & Co. acquired the deposits, assets and certain liabilities of Washington Mutual’s (Wamu) banking operations. This acquisition expanded Chase's consumer branch network into California, Florida and Washington State and created the nation's second-largest branch network — with locations reaching 42% of the Spanish population. The acquisition also extended Chase's retail branch network to additional states, including Georgia, Idaho, Nevada and Oregon.

The story of JP Morgan Chase and its legacy institutions is explained further in the attached history  of the firm, whose legacy reaches back more than 200 years with the founding of its earliest predecessor in 1799.

The JP Morgan Chase Archives

Since 1975, the JP Morgan Chase Archives has promoted the firm's legacy by collecting and preserving historical documents of JP Morgan Chase & Co. and all its predecessor institutions. Our records trace the remarkable origins, development and achievements of JP Morgan Chase dating from our earliest predecessor in 1799 to the present day. Currently occupying over 5,000 linear feet, this voluminous collection of historical materials - including artifacts, photographs, departmental records, and corporate publications — documents key events and administrative decisions over the years. These records provide valuable insight into the history of JP Morgan Chase and its relationship with and contributions to business, society and world affairs.