Continental Savings & Loan was a Seattle-based financial institution that operated under several names over its history. Founded in 1921 as Continental Mortgage and Loan Company, it became Continental Savings Bank in 1986 and was renamed HomeStreet Bank in May 2000.[1][2]
Design and History
In 2000, Continental Savings Bank announced it would change its name to HomeStreet Bank on May 15 of that year. The rebrand was part of the bank’s effort to preserve its image as a hometown lender amid competition from larger regional banks. At the time, the bank operated 31 branches across Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Hawaii.[1]
As part of the transition, Continental replaced its existing logo, described by the Seattle Times as a “sleek, red logo,” with a new mark featuring a white picket fence fanning the letter “H” against a moss-colored background. The new identity was designed to reinforce the sense of home and security associated with the HomeStreet name.[1][3]
The bank’s earlier history saw it operate as Continental Mortgage and Loan Company from its 1921 founding until 1986, when it added consumer and business banking under the name Continental Savings Bank.[2]
Meaning and Symbolism
The HomeStreet logo introduced in 2000 depicted a white picket fence fanning the letter “H,” a visual intended to reinforce the sense of home and security while enhancing the HomeStreet name. The color palette emphasized soft tones, with the picket fence set against a moss-colored background.[3][1]
Documentation of the earlier Continental Savings & Loan logo is limited. One logo database attributes a symbol designed by Chuck Rhodes in 1960 to the brand, but this claim could not be independently verified through primary sources.[4]
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