content: <PAGE>
                           UNITED STATES
  
                   SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  
                        WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  
                              FORM 8-K
  
                            CURRENT REPORT
  
                 PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d) OF THE
                     SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
  November 10, 1998
  
  
                     United Security Bancorporation
           (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
  
  
            Washington           0-18561            91-1259511
            ----------           -------            ----------
  (State or other jurisdiction   (Commission        (IRS
  Employer Identi-
          of incorporation)       File Number)       fication
  Number)
  
         9506 North Newport Highway, Spokane, Washington 99218-
  1200
         -----------------------------------------------------
  -----
              (Address of principal executive offices/Zip
  Code)
  
     Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
  (509) 467-6949
     ---------------------------------------------------------
  ----------
  
  
                                     1
   <PAGE>
                         UNITED SECURITY BANCORPORATION
  Item 5.  Other Events
  
  On November 10, 1998, United Security Bancorporation (USBN)
  entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (Merger
  Agreement) with Bancwest Financial Corporation (Bancwest)
  and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Bank of the West (Bank).
  Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, Bancwest will be
  merged with and into USBN, and the Bank will become a wholly-
  owned subsidiary of USBN.
  
  The Merger Agreement provides that USBN's common stock will
  be exchanged for shares of Bancwest's common stock pursuant
  to a fixed exchange ratio, which will be adjusted to account
  for any net income Bancwest generates between January 1,
  1999 and the date on which the merger is consummated.  The
  aggregate value of the consideration is approximately $33.3
  million.
  
  In connection with the acquisition, USBN and Bancwest also
  entered into a Stock Option Agreement dated November 10,
  1998 (Option Agreement) whereby Bancwest granted USBN an
  option to purchase 19.9% of Bancwest's common stock at a
  price of $45 per share.  The Option Agreement is exercisable
  upon the occurrence of certain transactions, all of which
  generally involve significant sales of Bancwest's assets
  and/or voting control to third parties.
  
  Consummation of the transaction is subject to several
  conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory
  approvals and approval by shareholders of USBN and Bancwest.
  For information regarding the terms of the proposed
  transaction, reference is made to the Merger Agreement, the
  Option Agreement and the press release dated November 10,
  1998, which are attached to this Report as Exhibits 2, 10
  and 99, respectively, and incorporated by reference.
  
  Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits
  
       (a)  Financial statements-not applicable
  
       (b)  Pro forma financial information-not applicable
  
       (c)  Exhibits:
  
          (2) Agreement and Plan of Consolidation dated
  November 10, 1998
  
         (10) Stock Option Agreement dated November 10, 1998
  
         (99) Press Release issued by USBN, dated November 10,
  1998
  
                                      2
  <PAGE>
  
                        UNITED SECURITY BANCORPORATION
  
  SIGNATURES
  
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Security Exchange Act of
  1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be
  signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly
  authorized.
  
  Dated:  November 10, 1998
  
                           UNITED SECURITY BANCORPORATION
  
                           By:  /s/ Richard C. Emery
                           ------------------------------
                           Name:    Richard C. Emery
                           Title:   President and Chief
  Executive Officer
  
                                      3
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text: UNITED STATES
  
                   SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
  
                        WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
  
                              FORM 8-K
  
                            CURRENT REPORT
  
                 PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15 (d) OF THE
                     SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
  
       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported):
  November 10, 1998
  
                     United Security Bancorporation
           (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
  
            Washington           0-18561            91-1259511
            ----------           -------            ----------
  (State or other jurisdiction   (Commission        (IRS
  Employer Identi-
          of incorporation)       File Number)       fication
  Number)
  
         9506 North Newport Highway, Spokane, Washington 99218-
  1200
         -----------------------------------------------------
  -----
              (Address of principal executive offices/Zip
  Code)
  
     Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
  (509) 467-6949
     ---------------------------------------------------------
  ----------
  
                                     1
  UNITED SECURITY BANCORPORATION
  Item 5.  Other Events
  
  On November 10, 1998, United Security Bancorporation (USBN)
  entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger (Merger
  Agreement) with Bancwest Financial Corporation (Bancwest)
  and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Bank of the West (Bank).
  Under the terms of the Merger Agreement, Bancwest will be
  merged with and into USBN, and the Bank will become a wholly-
  owned subsidiary of USBN.
  
  The Merger Agreement provides that USBN's common stock will
  be exchanged for shares of Bancwest's common stock pursuant
  to a fixed exchange ratio, which will be adjusted to account
  for any net income Bancwest generates between January 1,
  1999 and the date on which the merger is consummated.  The
  aggregate value of the consideration is approximately $33.3
  million.
  
  In connection with the acquisition, USBN and Bancwest also
  entered into a Stock Option Agreement dated November 10,
  1998 (Option Agreement) whereby Bancwest granted USBN an
  option to purchase 19.9% of Bancwest's common stock at a
  price of $45 per share.  The Option Agreement is exercisable
  upon the occurrence of certain transactions, all of which
  generally involve significant sales of Bancwest's assets
  and/or voting control to third parties.
  
  Consummation of the transaction is subject to several
  conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory
  approvals and approval by shareholders of USBN and Bancwest.
  For information regarding the terms of the proposed
  transaction, reference is made to the Merger Agreement, the
  Option Agreement and the press release dated November 10,
  1998, which are attached to this Report as Exhibits 2, 10
  and 99, respectively, and incorporated by reference.
  
  Item 7.  Financial Statements and Exhibits
  
       (a)  Financial statements-not applicable
  
       (b)  Pro forma financial information-not applicable
  
       (c)  Exhibits:
  
          (2) Agreement and Plan of Consolidation dated
  November 10, 1998
  
         (10) Stock Option Agreement dated November 10, 1998
  
         (99) Press Release issued by USBN, dated November 10,
  1998
  
                                      2
  UNITED SECURITY BANCORPORATION
  
  SIGNATURES
  
  Pursuant to the requirements of the Security Exchange Act of
  1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be
  signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly
  authorized.
  
  Dated:  November 10, 1998
  
                           UNITED SECURITY BANCORPORATION
  
                           By:  /s/ Richard C. Emery
                           ------------------------------
                           Name:    Richard C. Emery
                           Title:   President and Chief
  Executive Officer
  
                                      3