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Chamber of Commerce of West Philadelphia Records

Notifications

Held at: Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center [Contact Us]

This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.

Overview and metadata sections

Call Number:
488
Repository:
Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center
Extent:
5 linear feet (10 boxes)
Language:
English
Preferred Citation:
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Chamber of Commerce of West Philadelphia Records, Acc. 488, Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Date:
1939-1980 (inclusive)
Creator:
Chamber of Commerce of West Philadelphia
Form:
Administrative records, Bylaws (administrative records), Correspondence, and Minutes (administrative records)
Abstract:

The Chamber of Commerce of West Philadelphia, a branch of the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Philadelphia, was founded in 1939 by a group of local businessmen and women led by Harry O. J. Childs. The group represented companies doing business in the district, comprising all of Philadelphia west of the Schuylkill River. Board members were chosen to represent the major businesses and institutions within the area while proprietors of small, independent businesses were encouraged to join as regular members, and to participate in Chamber activities and committees.

The Chamber's primary purpose was political advocacy on behalf of businesses in the region. In the early years, the Chamber was concerned with capital improvements, particularly mass-transit as well as road and highway construction. The Chamber also maintained a special relationship with the major transportation hub within the district, the Philadelphia International Airport.

The Chamber worked closely with the major educational institutions in West Philadelphia including the University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, and the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science. The Chamber also worked with several local high schools to develop vocational training for students.

The collection includes administrative records, meeting minutes, financial records, committee files and correspondence, resolutions, press releases and policy statements from the Board on behalf of its members, and a nearly-complete collection of the Chamber's Awards Banquet programs.

The collection is arranged into 5 series as follows:

Series 1: Administrative, 1939-1980
Series 2: Committees, 1951-1980
Series 3: Public Affairs, 1950-1976
Series 4: Correspondence, 1950-1980
Series 5: Annual Awards Banquet, 1948-1980

Deposited by the organization through Alan B. Gross, President, December 1981 and November 1983.

Finding aid revised according to contemporary archival standards in June 2015.

Subject
Place

Publisher
Temple University Libraries: Special Collections Research Center
Finding Aid Author
Machine-readable finding aid created by: Rajkumar Natarajan, Sky Global Services India (P) Ltd.
Finding Aid Date
April 2023
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

The Chamber of Commerce of West Philadelphia Records are in custody of the Special Collections Research Center, Temple University Libraries. Intellectual property rights, including copyright, belong to the authors or their legal heirs and assigns. Researchers are responsible for determining the identity of rights holders and obtaining their permission for publication and for other purposes where stated.

Collection Inventory

Scope and Contents

Series 1. Administrative, houses constitution and by-laws, 1967-1979, and minutes of meetings, including executive committee, board of directors, annual membership and special committees not covered in Series 2. Also included are records of attendance at meetings, and notices of upcoming meetings.

Constitution and By-Laws, 1967-1979.
Box 1 Folder 1
Meeting minutes, 1939-1941.
Box 1 Folder 2
Meeting minutes, 1942-1945.
Box 1 Folder 3
Meeting minutes, 1946-1949.
Box 1 Folder 4
Meeting minutes, 1950-1952.
Box 1 Folder 5
Meeting minutes, 1953.
Box 1 Folder 6
Meeting minutes, 1954.
Box 1 Folder 7
Meeting minutes, 1955.
Box 1 Folder 8
Meeting minutes, 1956.
Box 1 Folder 9
Meeting minutes, 1957.
Box 1 Folder 10
Meeting minutes, 1958.
Box 1 Folder 11
Meeting minutes, 1959.
Box 1 Folder 12
Meeting minutes, 1960.
Box 1 Folder 13
Meeting minutes, 1961.
Box 1 Folder 14
Meeting minutes, 1962.
Box 1 Folder 15
Meeting minutes, 1963.
Box 1 Folder 16
Meeting minutes, 1964.
Box 1 Folder 17
Meeting minutes, 1965.
Box 2 Folder 18
Meeting minutes, 1966.
Box 2 Folder 19
Meeting minutes, 1967.
Box 2 Folder 20
Meeting minutes, 1968.
Box 2 Folder 21
Meeting minutes, 1969.
Box 2 Folder 22
Meeting minutes, 1970.
Box 2 Folder 23
Meeting minutes, 1971.
Box 2 Folder 24
Meeting minutes, 1972.
Box 2 Folder 25
Meeting minutes, 1973.
Box 2 Folder 26
Meeting minutes, 1974.
Box 2 Folder 27
Meeting minutes, 1975.
Box 2 Folder 28
Meeting minutes, 1976.
Box 2 Folder 29
Meeting minutes, 1977.
Box 2 Folder 30
Meeting minutes, 1978.
Box 2 Folder 31
Meeting minutes, 1979.
Box 2 Folder 32
Meeting minutes, 1980.
Box 2 Folder 33
Luncheon meetings, 1975-1977.
Box 2 Folder 34
Luncheon meetings, 1978-1979.
Box 2 Folder 35
Rosenthal Red Cross Files, 1952-1955.
Box 2 Folder 36

Scope and Contents

Series 2. Committees houses records of the Chamber's individual committees: Ad-Hoc Committee on Vacant Buildings, Awards, Education, Finance, Membership, Nominating, Publicity, and Self Evaluation.

Ad-Hoc Committee on Vacant Buildings Near Commercial Areas, 1976.
Box 3 Folder 37
Airport Luncheon Committee, 1967-1973.
Box 3 Folder 38
Awards Committee, 1953, 1955, 1966-1973.
Box 3 Folder 39
Awards Committee, 1974-1977.
Box 3 Folder 40
Awards Committee, 1978-1980.
Box 3 Folder 41
Education Committee, 1967-1973.
Box 3 Folder 42
Finance Committee, 1958, 1960-1966.
Box 4 Folder 43
Finance Committee, 1967-1973.
Box 4 Folder 44
Finance Committee, 1974-1980.
Box 4 Folder 45
Membership Committee, 1967-1979.
Box 4 Folder 46
Nominating Committee, 1951-1969.
Box 4 Folder 47
Nominating Committee, 1970-1976.
Box 4 Folder 48
Nominating Committee, 1977-1980.
Box 4 Folder 49
Program Committee, 1962-1963, 1967-1970.
Box 4 Folder 50
Program Committee, 1971-1974.
Box 4 Folder 51
Publicity Committee, 1955, 1956, 1958, 1967-1972.
Box 5 Folder 52
Photographs, undated.
Box 5 Folder 53
Self-Evaluation Committee, 1968.
Box 5 Folder 54

Scope and Contents

Series 3. Public Affairs, holds records of actions taken by the Chamber with regards to matters of public concern. Also includes records and literature from other community and governmental organizations describing or explaining individual programs or initiatives.

Public affairs, 1950-1959.
Box 5 Folder 55
Public affairs, 1960-1969.
Box 5 Folder 56
Public affairs, 1970.
Box 5 Folder 57
Public affairs, 1971.
Box 5 Folder 58
Public affairs, 1973-1976.
Box 5 Folder 59

Scope and Contents

Series 4. Correspondence, contains routine correspondence not otherwise covered in Series 2 or 3. There are letters from members notifying the Board of Directors of a change in membership status, as well as queries from non-members about business and employment opportunities in the area, or questions about a particular member business.

Correspondence, 1950.
Box 6 Folder 60
Correspondence, 1951.
Box 6 Folder 61
Correspondence, 1953.
Box 6 Folder 62
Correspondence, 1954.
Box 6 Folder 63
Correspondence, 1955.
Box 6 Folder 64
Correspondence, 1956.
Box 6 Folder 65
Correspondence, 1957.
Box 6 Folder 66
Correspondence, 1958.
Box 6 Folder 67
Correspondence, 1959.
Box 6 Folder 68
Correspondence, 1960.
Box 6 Folder 69
Correspondence, 1961.
Box 6 Folder 70
Correspondence, 1962.
Box 6 Folder 71
Correspondence, 1963.
Box 6 Folder 72
Correspondence, 1964.
Box 6 Folder 73
Correspondence, 1965.
Box 6 Folder 74
Correspondence, 1966.
Box 7 Folder 75
Correspondence, 1967.
Box 7 Folder 76
Correspondence, 1968.
Box 7 Folder 77
Correspondence, 1969.
Box 7 Folder 78
Correspondence, 1970.
Box 7 Folder 79
Correspondence, 1971.
Box 7 Folder 80
Correspondence, 1972.
Box 7 Folder 81
Correspondence, 1973.
Box 8 Folder 82
Correspondence, 1974.
Box 8 Folder 83
Correspondence, 1975.
Box 8 Folder 84
Correspondence, 1976 January-July.
Box 8 Folder 85
Correspondence, 1976 August-December.
Box 8 Folder 86
Correspondence, 1977.
Box 8 Folder 87
Correspondence, 1978.
Box 8 Folder 88
Correspondence, 1979.
Box 8 Folder 89
Correspondence, 1980.
Box 8 Folder 90
Rev. Hagedon Problem, 1971.
Box 8 Folder 91

Scope and Contents

Series 5. Annual Awards Banquet, includes a collection of the official program from the Chamber's Annual Awards Banquet as well as records pertaining to the conduct of the banquet.

Annual Awards Banquet Files, 1955.
Box 9 Folder 92
Annual Awards Banquet Files, 1956.
Box 9 Folder 93
Annual Awards Banquet Files, 1957.
Box 9 Folder 94
Annual Awards Banquet Files, 1964.
Box 9 Folder 95
Annual Awards Banquet Files, 1969.
Box 9 Folder 96
Annual Awards Banquet Files, 1970.
Box 9 Folder 97
Annual Awards Banquet Files, 1972.
Box 9 Folder 98
Annual Awards Banquet Files, 1975.
Box 9 Folder 99
Annual Awards Banquet Files, 1977.
Box 9 Folder 100
Annual Awards Banquet Files, 1978.
Box 9 Folder 101
Annual Awards Banquet Files, 1979.
Box 9 Folder 102
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1948.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1949.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1951.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1952.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1953.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1954.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1955.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1956.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1957.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1958.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1959.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1960.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1961.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1962.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1963.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1964.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1965.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1966.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1967.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1968.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1969.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1970.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1971.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1972.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1973.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1974.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1975.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1976.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1978.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1979.
Box 10
Annual Awards Banquet Programs, 1980.
Box 10

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