The Special Collections and University Archives Department has hired an experienced archivist to process and describe the PNC-Riggs Bank Records, ca. 1810-ca. 1949. The collection is approximately 1000 linear feet, including some 1200 ledgers.

Starting mid-June 2006, the Project Archivist Jodi Boyle is analyzing the collection, providing intellectual control of the contents - including creating a finding aid and a catalog record of the collection- and coordinating all processing activities according to national standards for the treatment of special and archival materials. This process includes creating custom archival housing for each of the ledgers and placing the contents of the files into acid-free file folders and acid-free boxes to ensure the long-term survival of the collection.

The collection - which includes records from Riggs Bank, National Bank of Washington, Farmers and Mechanics Bank, Lincoln National Bank, and Washington Loan & Trust - documents the day-to-day operation of the institutions and their influence on the economic life of Washington, D.C. Riggs Bank customers included many members of the Congress and 23 presidents of the United States. The archives include the financial records of numerous past presidents from 19th century. Additionally, they underscore the large role Riggs Bank played in financing local and federal construction and development projects, including the construction of the Capitol dome and the development of Georgetown, as well as documenting the accounts for each of the District's Wards.