Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce records

Collection – Multiple Containers

Identifier: MS-0025

Staff Only

Collection Overview

Abstract

The records of the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce consist of minutes, correspondence, subject files, financial records, printed material, scrapbooks, and photographs.

Dates

Creation: 1940-2009

Extent

27.55 Cubic Feet (15 legal boxes, 13 record cartons, 12 letter boxes, 3 half-letter boxes, 2 half-legal boxes, 2 flat boxes, 1 card box)

9 Volumes

1 Reels (1 film canister)

Creator

Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce (Bowling Green, Ohio) (Organization)

Scope and Contents

Spanning seven decades, the materials within the collection contain a wealth of information about the city of Bowling Green and its history. Researchers are able to access such varied items as early chamber minutes, historic photographs of local businesses and events, documents relating to the development of local businesses, and the various laws and regulations that have impacted local businesses throughout the decades.

This collection is organized in three parts. The first part includes Boxes 1-14 (1973) and oversize scrapbooks which comprise the first transfer of files from the Chamber Offices to the CAC in 1973. The second part includes Boxes 1-29 (2003) and comprises the second transfer of files from the Chamber offices to the CAC in 2003. The third part includes Boxes 1-3 (2014) and comprises a transfer of files to the CAC in 2006.

Biographical / Historical

The purpose of the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce is to nurture the orderly growth and development of the community of Bowling Green, Ohio. Although the records of this organization provide scant information on its earliest years, the Chamber's predecessors include such Bowling Green commercial organizations as the Board of Trade and the Commercial Club. The Board of Trade, formed in 1905, assisted in locating new enterprises in Bowling Green, one of which became Bowling Green State University. In 1910, several businessmen joined together in the Commercial Club. This Club later merged with the Board of Trade. By selling stock and membership shares, money was raised to assist in bringing industry and business to Bowling Green, including the H. J. Heinz plant, the Newton Cut Glass factory and the Royal Manufacturing Company. In 1929, the Commercial Club joined the State Chamber of Commerce and changed its name to the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce.

The Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce has been important to community, economic, and cultural development in Bowling Green throughout its existence. It continues to do so today with outreach to both business owners and consumers. The Chamber is active in its promotion of the city and its sponsorship and support of various groups and events.

Conditions Governing Access

No known access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Researchers using this collection assume full responsibility for conforming to the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright, and are responsible for securing permissions necessary for publication or reproduction.

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Arrangement

This collection is arranged in three sections. The first section is comprised of fourteen boxes and several oversized scrapbooks. The items in this section were transferred from the Chamber offices to the Center in 1973. The second section, noted on the inventory as the "2003 Addition," includes twenty-nine boxes of materials that were transferred to the Center during that year. The third section, "2014 Addition/Revision," contains two boxes. Some items in this section were initially transferred and processed in 2006, but were revised and supplemented in 2014 with items transferred from the donation of the Joan Gordon papers (MS-1203).

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The records were transferred to the Center in 1973 with the cooperation of Robert Hoagland, Executive Manager of the Chamber. A later addition was acquired from the Chamber in 2003 with the assistance of Jennifer Ruhe, Executive Director. In 2014, a large donation of materials from the estate of former Chamber Executive Director Joan Gordon included several items that were relevant to the collection. These items comprise the majority of the 2014 addition/revision.

Processing Information

The collection was processed and finding aid drafted by Les Warner, student intern at the Center for Archival Collections and revised by Ann Bowers in 2003. Additions and revisions are made to the collection on a periodic basis as new material is received. The most recent addition to the collection was processed by Graduate Archival Assistant Rebecca Denes in July 2014.