PEOPLES BANCORP INC. - P.O. BOX 738 - MARIETTA, OHIO - 45750
www.peoplesbancorp.com


                                NEWS RELEASE



FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE        Contact:  Larry E. Holdren
April 1, 1999                          President, Retail and Banking Division
                                       (740) 373-3155


	
                        PEOPLES BANK OPENS SALES OFFICE
                       IN NEW MARTINSVILLE WAL-MART STORE
_____________________________________________________________________________

MARIETTA, Ohio - The Peoples Banking and Trust Company ("Peoples Bank"),
a subsidiary of Peoples Bancorp Inc. (Nasdaq: PEBO), today announced its
opening of Wetzel County's newest financial services facility.

Peoples Bank's sales office is located in the recently opened Wal-Mart
superstore located at 1142 South Bridge Street, New Martinsville, West
Virginia.  The new banking facility offers extended evening and weekend
hours (including Sundays) and provides a wide array of financial products
and services.

"Banking in Wal-Mart's superstore environment is an exciting and challenging
opportunity in the financial services industry," commented Larry E. Holdren,
President of Peoples Bank's Retail and Banking Division.  "We are pleased to
be able to enhance our level of service for our current customers in Wetzel
County and surrounding areas, and we are ready to satisfy the financial needs
of Wal-Mart's customers while they do their shopping." The Wal-Mart banking
center complements Peoples Bank's existing offices in New Martinsville and
Steelton, and adds to the Company's existing network of community banking
offices.  Later in 1999, Peoples Bank will add similar financial service
centers in Wal-Mart superstores located in Vienna and south Parkersburg,
West Virginia (Wood County).

Peoples Bank is a subsidiary of Peoples Bancorp Inc., a bank holding company
headquartered in Marietta, Ohio, with over $880 million in assets.  Peoples
Bancorp operates 35 financial service locations in the states of Ohio, West
Virginia, and Kentucky.  Peoples Bancorp's banking subsidiaries include
Peoples Bank with offices in Ohio and West Virginia; The First National Bank
of Southeastern Ohio with three Ohio offices; and Peoples Bank FSB, with four
Kentucky offices.  Through its subsidiaries, Peoples Bancorp offers complete
banking services and makes available other financial services, such as trust
services, and investment and insurance products.  Learn more about Peoples
Bancorp at www.peoplesbancorp.com.


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