EXHIBIT 99

NEWS RELEASE


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                     Contact:  Mark F. Bradley,
---------------------                               Chief Integration Officer
August 10, 2001                                     (740) 374-6163


                             PEOPLES BANCORP DECLARES
               10% STOCK DIVIDEND; CONTINUES CURRENT CASH DIVIDEND
               ---------------------------------------------------

         MARIETTA, Ohio - The Board of Directors of Peoples Bancorp Inc.
(Nasdaq: PEBO) declared a 10% stock dividend to be issued September 12, 2001, to
common shareholders of record at August 24, 2001. Fractional shares will be paid
in cash based on the closing price of Peoples' common stock on the record date.
         Peoples' Board of Directors also resolved to continue the current cash
dividend of $0.15 per share to be paid on existing and new shares. This
represents an effective increase in the cash dividend of 10% and will be paid on
October 1, 2001, to shareholders of record at September 14, 2001. At August 1,
2001, Peoples Bancorp had 6,543,000 shares outstanding.
         "We believe the 10% stock dividend, combined with our history of
consistent cash dividend growth, are effective methods to reach our goals for
enhanced shareholder return," commented Robert E. Evans, President and Chief
Executive Officer. "The additional stock and cash reward our shareholders for
their ongoing support and reflects our positive outlook for the year."
         Including the 10% stock dividend to be paid on September 12, 2001,
Peoples has issued 12 stock splits or dividends over the past 20 years. During
this time, Peoples has grown one share of stock to 19 shares and continued
raising its cash dividend each year to the current annualized rate of $0.60 per
share.
         Peoples Bancorp Inc., a diversified financial products and services
company with $1.2 billion in assets, offers a complete line of banking,
investment, insurance, and trust solutions through Peoples Bank's 40 sales
offices and 25 ATM's in Ohio, West Virginia, and Kentucky. Peoples' common stock
is traded on the NASDAQ exchange under the symbol "PEBO". Learn more about
Peoples or enroll in Peoples OnLine Connection, Peoples' Internet banking
product, at www.peoplesbancorp.com.


                                 END OF RELEASE