SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                                   WASHINGTON, D.C.


                                       FORM S-8

               REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933


                             VALLEY NATIONAL CORPORATION
                (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)


            Delaware                                     33-0825336
  (State or other jurisdiction             (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
 of incorporation or organization)

        1234 East Main Street, El Cajon, California        92021
         (Address of Principal Executive Offices)       (Zip Code)

                        Valley National Corporation ESOP Trust
                               (Full title of the plan)

                           Mr. William V. Ehlen, President
                             Valley National Corporation
                                1234 East Main Street
                                  El Cajon, CA 92021
                       (Name and address of agent for service)


                                    (619) 593-3330
                       (Telephone Number, including area code,
                                of agent for service)

                                    (619) 593-3344
                          (Fax number of agent for service)

                  The Commission is requested to send copies of all
                         notices and other communications to:

                               James K. Sterrett, Esq.
                        Dostart Clapp Sterrett & Coveney, LLP
                        4370 La Jolla Village Drive, Suite 970
                                 San Diego, CA 92122
                              Telephone: (619) 623-4200
                                 Fax: (619) 623-4299


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                           CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE



                                               Proposed         Proposed
                                               maximum           maximum             Amount of
Title of Securities to be    Amount to be   offering price      aggregate          registration
       Registered            Registered(1)    per share(2)   offering price(2)         fee(2)
                                                                       
Common stock, par
value $0.0001 per share         10,000          $18.375          $183,750             $51.08


(1) This Registration Statement shall also cover any additional shares of Common
Stock which may become issuable under the Valley National Corporation ESOP Trust
by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or any other
similar transaction effected without receipt of consideration which results in
an increase in the number of outstanding shares of Common Stock.

(2) Estimated solely for purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to
Rule 457(h) on the basis of the average of the high and low prices of the Common
Stock on the Nasdaq National Market System as of a date within five business
days preceding the date of filing of this Registration Statement.



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                                     PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

     The document(s) containing the information specified in Part I of Form 
S-8 will be sent or given to participating officers and employees as 
specified by Rule 428(b)(1) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the 
"Securities Act"). The documents and the documents incorporated by reference 
in this Registration Statement pursuant to Item 3 of Part II below, taken 
together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 
10(a) of the Securities Act.

                                    PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.   Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

          Valley National Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the 
"Company"), hereby incorporates by reference into this Registration Statement 
on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") the following documents which have 
heretofore been filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission (the "Commission"):

          (a)  The Valle de Oro Bank, N.A.'s Annual Report on Form 10-KSB for 
the year ended December 31, 1998 as filed with the Commission on March 31, 
1999.

          (b)  The Company's Proxy Statement-Prospectus filed as part of the 
Company's Registration Statement on Form S-4 (Reg. No. 333-67661), as filed 
with the Commission on November 20, 1998, Amendment No. 1 to the Registration 
Statement filed with the Commission on January 26, 1999, and Amendment No. 2 
to the Registration Statement filed with the Commission on February 18, 1999.

          (c)  All documents subsequently filed by the Company or Valley 
National Corporation ESOP Trust pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 
15(d) of the Exchange Act, prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment 
which indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which 
deregisters all securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be 
incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part 
hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

          Any statements contained in a document incorporated by reference 
herein shall be  deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes hereof to 
the extent that a statement contained herein (or in any other subsequently 
filed document which is also incorporated by reference herein) modifies or 
supersedes such statement.  Any statement so modified or superseded shall not 
be deemed to constitute a part of this Registration Statement except as so 
modified or superseded.  


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ITEM 4.   Description of Securities.

          Not applicable.

ITEM 5.   Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

          Certain legal matters with respect to the validity of the shares of 
Company Common Stock offered hereby will be passed upon by Dostart Clapp 
Sterrett & Coveney, LLP, San Diego, California.

ITEM 6.   Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

          Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of 
Delaware: (i)  gives Delaware corporations broad powers to indemnify their 
present and former directors and officers and those of affiliated 
corporations against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments, fines 
and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred in connection 
with threatened, pending or completed actions, suits or proceedings to which 
they are parties or are threatened to be made parties by reason of being or 
having been such directors or officers, subject to specified conditions and 
exclusions; (ii)  gives a director or officer who successfully defends an 
action the right to be so indemnified; and (iii)  permits a corporation to 
buy directors' and officers' liability insurance.  Such indemnification is 
not exclusive of any other rights to which those indemnified may be entitled 
under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or otherwise.

          Article VI of Valley National Corporation's Bylaws requires Valley 
National Corporation to indemnify its directors and officers to the maximum 
extent permitted by the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware. 
Article X of Valley National Corporation's Certificate of Incorporation also 
provides that Valley National Corporation shall indemnify and advance 
expenses to its directors, officers, employees or agents to the fullest 
extent permitted by applicable law.

          Valley National Corporation intends to enter into individual 
agreements with each of its directors and executive officers pursuant to 
which Valley National Corporation will agree to indemnify each of its 
directors and executive officers to the fullest extent provided by applicable 
law and the Bylaws of Valley National Corporation as currently in effect.

          Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the 
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers or persons 
controlling Valley National Corporation pursuant to the foregoing provisions, 
Valley National Corporation has been informed that in the opinion of the 
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public 
policy as expressed in such Act and therefore unenforceable. 

          Valley National Corporation intends to purchase insurance policies 
containing customary terms and conditions for the purpose of insuring its 
directors and officers against certain losses incurred by them as a result of 
claims based upon their actions or statements (including omissions to act or 
make statements) as directors and officers which may cover liabilities under 
the Securities Act. 


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          Valley National Corporation also maintains an insurance policy 
insuring those individuals who are fiduciaries, as defined by the Employee 
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, under certain employee benefit plans 
of Valley National Corporation and its subsidiaries against certain losses 
incurred by them as a result of claims based on their responsibilities, 
obligations and duties under such Act. 

          Section 102(b)(7) of the General Corporation Law of the State of 
Delaware permits a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of 
incorporation a provision eliminating the potential monetary liability of a 
director to the corporation or its stockholders for breach of fiduciary duty 
as a director, provided that such provision shall not eliminate the liability 
of a director (i)  for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the 
corporation or its stockholders, (ii)  for acts or omissions not in good 
faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, 
(iii)  for improper payment of dividends, or (iv)  for any transaction from 
which the director receives an improper personal benefit.  Valley National 
Corporation's Certificate of Incorporation includes such a provision in 
Article IX thereof.

ITEM 7.   Exemption from Registration Claimed.

          Not applicable.

ITEM 8.   Exhibits.

Exhibit Number                       Description of Exhibit

     4.1         Valley National Corporation's Certificate of Incorporation,
                 filed as Exhibit (3)A. to the Company's Registration Statement
                 on Form S-4 (Registration No. 333-67661) is incorporated herein
                 by reference. 

     4.2         Valley National Corporation's Bylaws, filed as Exhibit (3)B. to
                 the Company's Registration Statement on Form S-4 (Registration
                 No. 333-67661) are incorporated herein by reference. 

      5          Opinion of Dostart Clapp Sterrett & Coveney, LLP regarding
                 Valley National Corporation Common Stock and Consent.

    23.1         Consent of KPMG LLP, Independent Auditors.

    23.2         Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Independent Accountants.

    24           Powers of Attorney (included as part of the Signature Page 
                 of this Registration Statement).

    99.1         Valle de Oro Bank, N.A. Employee Stock Ownership Plan, filed as
                 Exhibit 10.9 to the Company's Registration Statement on Form
                 S-4 (Registration No. 333-67661) is incorporated herein by
                 reference.

    99.2         First Amendment to the Valle de Oro Bank, N.A. Employee Stock
                 Ownership Plan.


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ITEM 9.   Undertakings.

(a)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

     (1)   To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made,
           a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement.

           (i)      to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of
                    the Securities Act of 1933;

           (ii)     to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising
                    after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or
                    the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
                    individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental
                    change in the information set forth in this Registration
                    Statement; and

           (iii)    to include any material information with respect to the plan
                    of distribution not previously disclosed in this
                    Registration Statement or any material change to such
                    information in this Registration Statement;

           Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not
apply if the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment
by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant
pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934
that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

     (2)   That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
           Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be
           deemed to be a new registration statement  relating to the
           securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at
           that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering
           thereof. 

     (3)   To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment
           any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the
           termination of the offering.

(b)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

(h)  Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act
of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant
has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission
such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is,
therefore, unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification against
such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred
or paid by a director, officer or controlling 


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person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or 
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in 
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless 
in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling 
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of 
whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in 
the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.


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                                      SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Company 
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the 
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration 
Statement on Form S-8 to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, 
thereunto duly authorized, in the City of El Cajon, State of California, on 
March 17, 1999.

VALLEY NATIONAL CORPORATION



By:  /s/ William V. Ehlen
     -----------------------------------
     Name: William V. Ehlen
     Title:   President and Director 

     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears 
below constitutes and appoints William V. Ehlen and C. K. Hill, or either one 
of them, his true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of 
substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in 
any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including 
post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement and any subsequent 
registration statements relating to the offering to which this Registration 
Statement relates, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other 
documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange 
Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of 
them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing 
requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully and to 
all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby  ratifying 
and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or either of them, 
or their or his substitutes or substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be 
done by virtue hereof.

     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the date indicated.


 /s/ William V. Ehlen                     /s/ C. K. Hill
- -----------------------------------      ---------------------------------------
William V. Ehlen, President              C. K. Hill, O.D., Secretary and
Director                                 and Director


 /s/ James F. Carroll                     /s/ Philip J. Gelber
- -----------------------------------      ---------------------------------------
James F. Carroll, Chairman of            Philip J. Gelber, M.D., Director
the Board and Director


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 /s/ Samuel M. Ciccati                    /s/ Obert D. "Dale" Conway
- -----------------------------------      ---------------------------------------
Samuel M. Ciccati, Ph.D., Director       Obert D. "Dale" Conway, Director


 /s/ Paul M. Cable
- -----------------------------------
Paul M. Cable, Treasurer, Chief
Financial Officer and Principal
Accounting Officer


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     Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Trustee 
and a member of the Committee administering the plan set forth below have 
duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on their behalf by the 
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of El Cajon, State of 
California, on March 17, 1999.


                         Valley National Corporation ESOP Trust



                         By:   /s/ William V. Ehlen
                              --------------------------------------------------
                               William V. Ehlen, Trustee


                         Administrative Committee Member for the Valley
                         National Corporation ESOP Trust



                         By:   /s/ Paul M. Cable
                              --------------------------------------------------
                               Paul M. Cable, Administrative Committee Member



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