Hattiesburg Area Chamber of Commerce

The twelve original incorporators were W.W. Crawford, L.L. Major, F.W. Foote, Ashby Foote, S.L. Heidelberg, M.G. Field, William Moffett, Jr., John Conner, A.C. Cherry, A.F. Thomasson, Victor M. Scanlan, and J.C. Ballard, who were all elected directors at the first meeting on Wednesday, April 25, 1906. Also elected at that first meeting were the following officers: president, W.W. Crawford; 1st vice president, A.F. Thomason; 2nd vice president, L.L. Major; secretary and treasurer, A.C. Cherry. In addition, the Charter and By-Laws were adopted at that first meeting.

The Charter had already been approved by Governor James K. Vardaman on April 16, 1906, and had been recorded in the office of the Mississippi Secretary of State on April 24, 1906, and in the Chancery Clerk's office in Hattiesburg. The first members were admitted at the second meeting which was held May 4, 1906.

By 1909 the Club had a paid secretary who earned $50 a month plus expenses. By 1910, the Commercial Club had a membership of seventy-five.

From August 1915, until sometime after August 1916 (or possibly until sometime in 1918) the Club operated without a paid secretary. In July 1915, immediately after the secretary turned in his resignation, a long editorial in the Hattiesburg News stated that the Club had been a near failure for the last four or five years and that it should now "put up or shut up," i.e., do something or disband. The editor, F.D. Lander, who was a member of the Board of Directors, felt that for an effective organization which could "deliver the goods", "two things were needed: a secretary experienced in that line of work and the money to allow him to do his best work. At the annual meeting in December 1915, the president announced that for the first time in the history of the club it was free of debt.

On February 21, 1918, the Commercial Club, after a very successful membership drive, completely reorganized itself, adopted a new constitution and set of by-laws, elected a new slate of officers, and changed its name to the Chamber of Commerce of Hattiesburg.

In June 1933, the Hattiesburg Chamber was incorporated and in 1934 it affiliated with the state Chamber of Commerce. In 1937 the Chamber was instrumental in forming the Hattiesburg Community Council, whose purpose it was to coordinate the activities of the various civic, educational, recreational, cultural, and beautification organizations in the community.

The approach of World War II brought the organization of the Mississippi Camp Shelby Cooperative Association in November 1940, under the auspices of the Chamber. Its purpose was to create a larger interest in the economic welfare of south Mississippi and to prepare this section of the state for its large and increasing responsibilities to Camp Shelby.

In 1961 the Hattiesburg Chamber joined the Mississippi Economic Council. Also in 1961 the Park ∓ Shop, Ride ∓ Shop Division of the Chamber was organized for the purpose of relieving the parking and traffic problems in the downtown area of Hattiesburg. Then in 1965 the Forrest County Industrial Development Board was organized as a division of the Chamber and later employed its first director in 1966. It continues to be funded jointly by the city, the county, and the Chamber.

Recognition of the expanded concerns of the Chamber brought about a name change in 1967 to the Hattiesburg Area Chamber of Commerce and the solicitation of members of the whole county. It also meant an increased interest in agricultural matters.

In 1970, after a self study and inspection by representatives of the United States Chamber of Commerce, the local Chamber of Commerce was accredited, meaning it was cited as meeting standards of performance in planning, programming, and conducting a well-balanced, productive program of work.

In 1971 the Forrest County Industrial Development Board created a separate corporation, the Hattiesburg Area Development Corporation, which raised capital through the sale of stock to the local community. Proceeds were used to purchase land for the creation of an industrial park, which was then sold to the city.

The Hattiesburg Area Chamber of Commerce remains an on-going, viable organization, active in promoting the economic and industrial development of the Hattiesburg-Forrest County area.

Purpose

The primary purpose of both the Hattiesburg Area Chamber of Commerce and its predecessor, the Commercial Club of Hattiesburg, has been the economic and industrial development of Hattiesburg and the surrounding trade area. During the early part of the twentieth century the major concerns of the Commercial Club were: locating South Mississippi College (forerunner of William Carey College) and the State Normal School (which later became the University of Southern Mississippi) in Hattiesburg, dissatisfaction with the freight rates being charged by the railroads to the merchants of Hattiesburg (which led to at least two legal actions before the Interstate Commerce Commission), good roads in Forrest County, making the Leaf River navigable up to Hattiesburg, and bringing new businesses and industries to Hattiesburg.

Prior to World War II the major objectives of the chamber were: promoting industrial development to replace the declining lumber industry, securing hard-surface roads and national highways in the Hattiesburg trade area, and relieving unemployment in Hattiesburg and the surrounding trade area. World War II took care of the first and last of these objectives, but virtually halted the highway program.

Following the War, emphasis was put on securing industries, promoting agriculture, and developing the airport and local highways (particularly farm-to-market). Parking and traffic problems in the business district also received the Chamber's attention. In addition, efforts were made to have Camp Shelby made a permanent military installation.

In 1950 as the war situation in Korea became threatening, the Chamber worked on getting Camp Shelby reopened, procuring other military installations and obtaining military industries. Efforts to secure new industries and assist in the expansion of existing industries continued apace. This has continued to be the primary concern of the Chamber in the ensuing years.

[from http://www.lib.usm.edu/~archives/m216.htm]