Introduction | Agency History | Inventory

Introduction

The papers of the Bowling Green Chamber of Commerce document this agency's history from 1940-2003. The collection consists of seven linear feet of minutes, correspondence, subject files and financial records. 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.

No restrictions exist on the use of this collection and duplication is permitted for the purposes of preservation and scholarly research. The collection was processed and register drafted by Les Warner, student intern at the Center for Archival Collections and revised by Ann Bowers in 2003.

Agency History

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 little information on its early years, the Chamber's ancestry includes 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 very active in community, economic, and cultural development in Bowling Green throughout its existence.

Inventory

This collection is organized in three parts. The first part includes Boxes 1-14 and oversize scrapbooks which comprises the first transfer of files from the Chamber Offices to the CAC in 1973. The second part includes Boxes 1-17 and comprises the second transfer of files from the Chamber offices to the CAC in 2003. The third part includes Box 1 and comprises a transfer of files to the CAC in 2006.

Box 1

1. Minutes, Oct. 1949, Aug.1954-Dec. 1955
2. Minutes, Jan. - Dec. 1956
3. Minutes, Jan. 1957-Nov. 1958
4. Minutes, Jan. 1961-Dec. 1963
5. Minutes, Jan. - July 1964, March 1965 - Dec. 1966
6. Minutes, Jan. 1967-Jan. 1969, Sept. 1970
7. Constitution and By-Laws, 1941-1965 (scattered), n.d.
8. Daily Record Book, Dec. 1957-Mar. 1958
9. Correspondence, 1947-1962 (scattered)
10. Correspondence, 1963-1964
11. Correspondence, Jan. - June 1965
12. Correspondence, July - Sept. 1965
13. Correspondence, Oct. - Dec. 1965

Box 2

1. Correspondence, January-August 1966 (scattered)
2. Correspondence, January-March 1967
3. Correspondence, April-July 1967
4. Correspondence, August-September 1967
5. Correspondence, October-November 1967
6. Correspondence, December 1967
7. Correspondence, January 1968
8. Correspondence, February-March 1968
9. Correspondence, April-May 1968
10. Correspondence, June-July 1968
11. Correspondence, August-September 1968

Box 3

1. Correspondence, December 1968
2. Correspondence, January 1969
3. Correspondence, February 1969
4. Correspondence, March-April 1969
5. Correspondence, May-July 1969
6. Correspondence, August-September 1969
7. Correspondence, October-November 1969
8. Correspondence, December 1969
9. Correspondence, January-February 1970
10. Correspondence, March-April 1970

Box 4

1. Amigo Days promotion, 1957
2. Annual dinner, 1950, 1955-1956
3. Annual dinner, 1957-1960
4. Annual dinner, 1961, 1962, 1964, 1966
5. Annual dinner, 1967-1968
6. Executive secretary/manager position, 1957, 1965
7. Automatic voting machines, 1947
8. Bad checks information, n.d.
9. Better Business: information/requests, 1955
10. Better Business: information/requests, 1956, 1957, 1959
11. Better Business: information/requests, n.d.
12. Blissfield Manufacturing Company: plant site, 1956
13. Board of Trustees: president's correspondence, 1956-1957, n.d.
14. Bowling Green: correspondence and reports on city, 1941-1959 (scattered)
15. Bowling Green: correspondence and reports on city, 1963-1967 (scattered), n.d.

Box 5

1. Bowling Green Development Corporation, 1958-1959
2. Bowling Green State University, 1957-1960
3. Canada-US relations, 1956, 1957
4. Christmas decorations, promotion, parade, 1954-1956, 1959-1963, 1965, n.d.
5. Cuckle Creek development program, 1957
6. Civic affairs/community improvement committee, 1956, 1957
7. Civil defense, 1957
8. Classic Car Caravan, 1955
9. Commerce program suggestion poll, 1965, 1966
10. Committee appointments, 1958, 1960-1962, 1966
11. Community sign project, 1965-1966, 1968, 1969
12. Construction division, 1955-1956, 1961
13. Contact Club membership drive, 1956
14. Dale Carnegie program, 1966
15. Development department--State of Ohio, 1964-1965
16. Downtown idea exchange, 1965, 1966
17. Education, 1962, 1965
18. Election--Board of Trustees, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1965, 1966, 1968
19. Environmental Investment Corporation (blueprint), 1968

Box 6

1. Financial study report oncity income tax, 1956-1957
2. Glider contest, 1954-1957
3. Goodyear plant site, 1956
4. Highway and traffic correspondence, 1954-1958
5. Hi Neighbor Caravan, 1960
6. Housing survey rentals, 1966, 1967
7. Income tax questionnaire, 1957
8. Income tax questionnaire, 1957
9. Industrial committee meetings and correspondence, 1955-1957, 1960, n.d.

Box 7

1. Industrial development conferences/clinics, 1954-1957
2. Industrial development corporation--establishment files, 1953-1959
3. Industrial development corporation, 1964-1966, n.d.
4. Industrial development corporation--Presstite Engineering Company, 1955-1956
5. Industrial development correspondence/files, 1955
6. Industrial development correspondence/files, 1956-1958
7. Industrial development correspondence/files, 1959
8. Industrial development correspondence/files, 1960-1963
9. Industrial development correspondence/files, n.d.

Box 8

1. Industrial directory, (1950s)
2. Industries in Bowling Green, 1955, n.d.
3. Industrial inquiries into locating in Bowling Green, 1953-1955
4. Industrial inquiries into locating in Bowling Green, 1956, 1959, 1964
5. Industrial inquiries into locating in Bowling Green, 1965-1967, 1969-1970, n.d.
6. Industrial questionnaire, 1955
7. Labor market information, 1941, 1954-1958, 1960, 1964
8. Labor market information, 1965, 1969
9. Lincoln-Schlueter plant information/correspondence, July-October 1956
10. Lincoln-Schlueter plant information/correspondence, November 1956-May 1957
11. Manufacturer's Council meetings/correspondence, January 1966-January 1970, n.d.

Box 9

1. Management Development course, 1968
2. May luncheon information, 1965
3. McBride case, 1956-1957
4. Membership lists and correspondence, 1945-1954, 1956-1957, 1959-1960, 1963, 1965-1968
5. Membership lists and correspondence, n.d.
6. Membership lists of other organizations, 1959, 1963-1964, n.d.
7. Minimum wage, 1955-1957
8. Miss Bowling Green Pageant, 1967-1969
9. Mrs. Wood County, 1953-1954
10. National Classroom Teachers' Conference, 1958
11. National Council of Churches, 1955
12. Ohio Chamber of Commerce annual dinner, 1955
13. Ohio Chamber of Commerce annual dinner, 1956
14. Ohio Chamber of Commerce newsletter and pamphlet, 1955, 1962-1964

Box 10

1. Ohio industry information, 1947, 1953-1954
2. Ohio industry information, 1955, 1956, 1959, 1960, 1969
3. Ohio information committee, 1954, August-September 1955
4. Ohio information committee, October-November 1955
5. Ohio information committee, 1957
6. Ohio Plan, 1956-1957
7. Ohio Turnpike, November 1955
8. Old Fashioned Bargain Days, 1960, 1962-1964
9. Old Fashioned Bargain Days, 1965-1968
10. Outstanding Citizen Award, 1957, 1959-1961
11. Outstanding Citizen Award, 1963-1964

Box 11

1. Parking information/correspondence, 1955
2. Parking information/correspondence, 1956
3. Parking information/correspondence, 1957-1958, 1960, 1961, 1965
4. Plans for "Petunia City", 1961
5. Political Action, 1954-1957, 1966, 1968
6. Program of Work committee, 1954-1957, 1966-1967, n.d.
7. Public Affairs committee, 1955-1956
8. Public Relations committee, 1955-1956, 1966
9. Purolator Products, Inc.--Plant site information, 1956
10. Radio, 1955, 1966
11. Rental survey, Bowling Green, 1957
12. Retail Committee reports/correspondence, 1958-1960
13. Right to work, 1958
14. Russell Boats, Inc., 1955-1956
15. Setting up the Municipal Court, 1960-1961

Box 12

1. Solicitation, 1954-1955
2. Solicitation, January-August 1956
3. Solicitation, September-December 1956
4. St. Lawrence Seaway, 1955-1957
5. Telephone rates survey/protest: Northern Ohio Telephone Company, 1957-1958
6. Television, 1956-1957
7. Transportation, 1955
8. Utilities--Bowling Green, 1940s-1960s
9. Wintergarden Camp., Inc., 1955
10. Wood County Industry Appreciation Dinner, 1965
11. Wood County Fair, 1965-1966
12. Wood County Fall Festival, 1948-1950

Box 13

1. Annual Report, 1940, 1955-1957, 1963-1964
2. Ohio Department of Industrial Relations, 1954-1956
3. Ohio Employment Service Report, 1957
4. Charter form of city government, 1965
5. Contributions, 1964
6. Dues, 1955-1959, 1965, 1966
7. Financial Statements, 1946-1950, 1954-1961, 1965-1968
8. Fund-raising campaign, 1954-1956
9. Tax records, 1946-1954, 1958-1961, 1963
10. Treasurer's Reports, 1950-1958, 1960, 1963-1966

Box 14

1. Newspaper clippings/news releases, 1954, 1958, 1965
2. Bowling Green Chamber Bulletin/Business News, 1954-1957 (scattered)
3. Bulletins/memos sent and received, 1956-1965, n.d.
4. Newsletters, Mar. 1972-Dec. 1975, Aug., Oct. 1978
5. Newsletters, Jan. 1981-Dec. 1987
6. Newsletters, Jan. 1988-Dec. 1994
7. Industrial Development Bulletins, 1954
8. Industrial Development Bulletins, 1955-1956

Wrapped Volumes

1. Cashbook, 1947-1950
2. Cashbook, 1955-1957
3. Scrapbook, 1948-1950
4. Scrapbook, 1955
5. Scrapbook, 1956
6. Scrapbook, 1957
7. Scrapbook, 1958
8. Scrapbook, 1959
9. Scrapbook, 1960-1961
10. Scrapbook, 1962

2003 Addition-Box 1

1. Negatives depicting various buildings, city scenes, Chamber and city events, 1976-1994 (scattered dates)
2. Slides depicting various buildings, city scenes, Chamber and city events, 1976-1994 (scattered dates)

2003 Addition-Box 2

1. Photographs (see attached inventory), 1980s-1990s

2003 Addition-Box 3

1. Photographs (see attached inventory) prints used in Sesquicentennial history publication, 1980s-1990s, some historical

2003 Addition-Box 4

1. Photograph Album-Buckeye Boys Parade and Great Outhouse Race, 1982
2. Photograph Album-Leadership BG, 1992-1993
3. Mounted Photographs-city and university scenes, scattered dates
4. Photograph Album-parade, summer c. 1972

2003 Addition-Box 5

1. Community Day files, 1985-1988, 1990-1999
2. Golf Outing files, 1985-1998

2003 Addition-Box 6

1. Merchants' Fair, 1990-1997
2. Spring Festival/Festival of Brass Parade, 1971-1975
3. Summer Parades (on top of box is film of the Spring Festival Parade, 1972), 1976-1977

2003 Addition-Box 7

1. Holiday Parade, 1992-1999
2. US Bicentennial, 1975-1976
3. BG Sesquicentennial, 1982-1983
4. Carol-In, 1970-1974
5. Fireworks, 1971-1998
6. Annual meeting/Reports, 1940, 1956, 1967-1999
7. Outstanding Citizens, 1970-1986
8. Past Presidents, 1970-1974 with listings dating from 1910-1979
9. Heritage 76, 1976
10. Scott Hamilton Day, 1984
11. Ohio Development Association, 1989
12. Sign Ordinance, 1988, 1991, 1999
13. Ambassadors Committee, 1997
14. Economic Impact-BGSU, 1998
15. Farm Bureau, 1999

2003 Addition-Box 8

1. Ledger, 1957-1960
   Ledger, 1959-1963
2. Notebooks with monthly reports and budget, 1984-1996
3. Folders of financial reports and budgets, 1960-1961, 1967-1976, 1978-1979

2003 Addition-Box 9

1. News clippings, 1970s-1980s
2. Scrapbooks of news clippings (3 volumes), 1959-1960, 1986, 1987

2003 Addition-Box 10

1. Minutes and Agenda items, April 1940-January 1942
2. Minutes and Agenda items, 1946-1957
3. Minutes and Agenda items, 1957
4. Minutes and Agenda items, 1959-1962
5. Minutes and Agenda items, 1963-1969 (scattered dates)
6. Minutes and Agenda items, 1970-1971
7. Minutes and Agenda items, 1972-1973
8. Minutes and Agenda items, 1974
9. Minutes and Agenda items, 1975
10. Minutes and Agenda items, 1976-1977
11. Minutes and Agenda items, 1978-1979
12. Minutes and Agenda items, 1980-1981

2003 Addition-Box 11

1. Minutes and Agenda items, 1981-1982
2. Minutes and Agenda items, 1982-1983
3. Minutes and Agenda items, 1984-1985
4. Minutes and Agenda items, 1986-1987
5. Minutes and Agenda items, 1987-1988
6. Minutes and Agenda items, 1989
7. Minutes and Agenda items, 1990

2003 Addition-Box 12

1. Minutes and Agenda items, 1991
2. Minutes and Agenda items, 1992
3. Minutes and Agenda items, 1993-1994
4. Minutes and Agenda items, 1995
5. Constitutions, bylaws, codes and leases, 1940s-1970s

2003 Addidtion-Box 13

1. Correspondence, 1972-1974
2. Newsletters, January 1995-December 1999
3. Flyers and brochures (Merchants Fair, Mid-Year Lunch, Hi-Lites of BG), 1970s-1990s
4. Membership Drive/lists and directories, 1968-1978, 1985-1987
5. Dues Ledgers, 1950s-1984
6. Community Development Foundation files, January-June 1989

2003 Addition-Box 14

1. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1980-1984
2. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1981-1986
3. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1983-1988
4. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1983-1987
5. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1983-1989
6. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1987-1989
7. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1990-1991
8. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1992-1994
9. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1995
10. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1996

2003 Addition-Box 15

1. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1970-1972
2. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1973-1976
3. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1977-1980
4. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1981-1983
5. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1983-1987
6. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1985-1989
7. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1990-1992
8. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1993-1995
9. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1997

2003 Addition-Box 16

1. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1955-1964
2. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1965
3. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1966-1969
4. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1970-1973
5. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1974-1976
6. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1977-1979
7. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1980-1984
8. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1985-1993 (scattered dates)
9. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1970-1972
10. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1973-1974
11. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1977-1978
12. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1980
13. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1981-1986
14. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1987-1992

2003 Addition-Box 17

1. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1949-1956
2. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1958-1959
3. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1960-1966
4. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1964-1965
5. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1967
6. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1968-1969
7. Financial Ledger, Downtown Business Association, 1955-1969
8. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1992-1994
9. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, Business Women's Council, 1995-1997
10. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 1964-1986
11. Minutes, financial reports, correspondence, 2000-2003
12. Seminars, 1985-2003
13. Women Helping Women, 2000-2002
14. Staff Appreciation Banquet, 2000-2003
15. Bosses Day, 2000-2003
16. Tanzanian Women's Luncheon, 2003
17. Notebook of Business Cards of BWC members, n.d.

2005/2006 Addition-Box 1

• BG Chamber News (newsletter), 2004
• BG Chamber News (newsletter), 2005
• BG Chamber News (newsletter), 2006
• Business After Hours event mailers, 2004-2006
• BG Chamber of Commerce Investor Director and Business Guide (2 copies), 2005
• Bowling Green, Ohio: The Strength of Community, 2005?
• Golf Scramble flyers, 2004-2006
• Miscellaneous program/event flyers, 2004-2006

Oversized Items

1. Scrapbook-Bowling Green highlights for visitors, 1986
2. Photographs:
   Tractor Pull, c. 1970s
   Wooster Street from I-75
   Public Library
   Downtown Parade
   City Park

Manuscripts by Subject | Business & Commerce | Miscellaneous Collections