UniBank Acquires Historic Whitinsville Property

Future home of the UniBank Charitable Foundation will preserve a meaningful past while investing in the future of the Blackstone Valley

UniBank is proud to announce the purchase of a historic property located at 456 Hill Street in the heart of Whitinsville, Massachusetts. This property is connected to the family of John C. Whitin, one of the founders of the bank. 

More than a real estate transaction, this acquisition represents a new chapter in the long and proud history of UniBank. The Bank traces its origins to Whitinsville Savings Bank – founded in 1873 by John C. Whitin – and Uxbridge Savings Bank, which merged to form UniBank in 1988. The purchase also reflects UniBank’s deep commitment to honoring its roots while strengthening its future impact on the communities it serves. 

The house, built in 1926 by Lawrence Murray Keeler and his wife Elizabeth (Whitin) Keeler — great-granddaughter of Bank founder John C. Whitin — will be thoughtfully renovated in a way that preserves its historic character while incorporating the modern infrastructure needed to serve as a Training and Education Center for the Bank, as well as the future headquarters of the UniBank Charitable Foundation.

“This is far more significant than just a purchase of real estate — it’s a bridge between the past and the future,” said Timothy P. Wickstrom, Chairman of the Board of Directors at UniBank. “The historic homes in the Village of Whitinsville helped define an important period of advancement in our Country’s history. Sadly, several of those historic homes have been lost, making this preservation project all the more vital. With this purchase and renovation, UniBank ensures that an important piece of Whitinsville’s heritage remains intact – not just as a landmark, but as a living part of its future.” 

Michael Welch, CEO of UniBank, added, “When we established the UniBank Charitable Foundation in 2018, it was to ensure that our legacy of giving back would live on in perpetuity. Now, the Foundation will have a home rooted in our history — once owned by the family of John C. Whitin, whose commitment to philanthropy, civic leadership, and community helped shape our mission today.”