▁of ▁Buff alo ' s ▁lake front s ▁and ▁river front s . ▁Indeed , ▁it ▁was ▁intended ▁to ▁fin ance ▁the ▁new ▁sh ipping ▁trade ▁on ▁the ▁Great ▁L akes . ▁From ▁the ▁first ▁day ▁it ▁opened ▁its ▁doors ▁on ▁August ▁ 2 7 ▁at ▁ 7 9 ▁Main ▁Street , ▁Marine ▁was ▁the ▁prominent ▁bank ▁for ▁the ▁th riv ing ▁gra in ▁and ▁mill ing ▁industry ▁on ▁the ▁water front . ▁However , ▁the ▁diverse ▁ge ographic ▁base ▁of ▁the ▁bank ' s ▁eight ▁found ers ▁indicated ▁that ▁they ▁intended ▁to ▁expand ▁across ▁New ▁York . ▁ ▁Mer gers ▁and ▁ac quis itions ▁By ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁ 2 0 th ▁century , ▁Marine ▁Bank ▁began ▁to ▁expand ▁through ▁mer ger . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 7 ▁it ▁absor bed ▁the ▁American ▁Exchange ▁Bank , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 9 0 2 ▁it ▁acquired ▁the ▁Buff alo ▁Com mer cial ▁Bank . ▁That ▁same ▁year ▁it ▁became ▁a ▁national ▁bank ▁and ▁changed ▁its ▁name ▁to ▁Marine ▁National ▁Bank ▁of ▁Buff alo ▁under ▁president ▁Stephen ▁Mer rell ▁Clement . ▁ ▁The ▁next ▁ac quisition ▁came ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁when ▁Marine ▁absor bed ▁Columbia ▁National ▁Bank . ▁That ▁same ▁year , ▁the ▁bank ▁built ▁a ▁new ▁ 1 7 - story ▁office ▁building ▁in ▁Buff alo ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁Marine ▁Mid land ▁Trust ▁Company ▁Building . ▁ ▁Six ▁years ▁later , ▁Bank ers ▁Trust ▁was ▁acquired . ▁Marine ▁chose ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁state ▁bank ▁again ▁as ▁Marine ▁Trust