Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce Records

Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce Records, 1911-2020

Overview of the Collection

Creator: Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce
Title: Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce Records
Dates: 1911-2020 (inclusive)
19112020
Quantity: 25.75 linear feet
Collection Number: 2393
Summary: The Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce Records include early organizational materials and progress reports; lists of directors, presidents, and committee chairmen within organizational charts; bylaws, policies, and manuals; and corporate papers. The records are in no way complete. They contain annual reports; yearly work plans; surveys of members and the community; directors' minutes; Presidents'/Board of Directors papers; day books; ledgers; financial records and general correspondence. Also included in the collection are office and personnel records, records and papers of individual committees, ephemera, and photographs.
Repository: Montana State University Library, Merrill G. Burlingame Special Collections
Montana State University-Bozeman Library
Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections
P.O. Box 173320
Bozeman, MT
59717-3320
Telephone: 4069944242
Fax: 4069942851
Access Restrictions: This collection is open for research.
Languages
Sponsor: Funding for encoding this finding aid was provided by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Bozeman merchants originally organized a Chamber of Commerce in 1910 but due to lack of financial support it was disbanded in favor of the Young Men's Business League in 1911. In 1912 when the U.S. Chamber of Commerce was created with established guidelines and organizational suggestions, Bozeman again started a Chamber of Commerce using the name Gallatin Valley Commercial Club. In 1917, the name Bozeman Chamber of Commerce was adopted. It consisted of merchants and community members interested in promoting Bozeman and the surrounding area. Finally, the present title of Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce was adopted. The Chamber was organized with a Board of Directors that included a President and three Vice Presidents of divisions in three areas: Commercial (later called Economic Affairs), Civic (later called Community Affairs), and Administration. Each division had several committees chaired by volunteer members with interests in those areas. Over the years committees were dropped, added, or renamed, but always were concerned with agriculture, transportation, military, university/city relations, civic and legislative affairs, tourism and visitor promotion, business and industrial support, and advocating for commercial and economic development and a strong membership. In later years the environment, recreation, and planning for the growth of the town and county became more important. Recruitment of members and their financial support was always difficult with some years more successful than others. In 1975 a past presidents committee named the Green Coats was created as a group to greet visitors at functions of the Chamber and the city. Temporary committees addressing special functions or programs such as BACCII (trade show), Wally Byam Caravan Club ( motor home conventions), CNRF (College National Rodeo Finals), Balloon Quest, Air Shows, plus National, State, and local centennial celebrations were created as needed. The organization always had a paid secretary/manager/executive VP. As it grew and became more sophisticated, more paid employees were added as well as more outside financial services, and computer networking and service supports. The location of the Chamber of Commerce office also changed many times. In the beginning, as an almost entirely volunteer organization it leased office space. As it grew and rents increased, it purchased the locations of its offices. At one downtown location, the Chamber office was gutted by a fire in 1922, and few records earlier than that date survived.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce Records include early organizational materials and progress reports; lists of directors, presidents, and committee chairmen within organizational charts; bylaws, policies and manuals; and corporate papers. The records are in no way complete. They contain annual reports; yearly work plans; surveys of members and the community; directors' minutes; Presidents'/Board of Directors papers; day books; ledgers; financial records and general correspondence. Office and personnel records including procedures, bills, tax and insurance records, inventories, and various agreements and contracts are present. Records and papers of individual committees with associated correspondence and financial information; papers related to organizations and affiliations such as the National and Montana Chambers of Commerce and several tourist organizations are also contained in the records. Finally, there are newsletters; brochures and promotional memorabilia; economic reports of the community; maps; newspaper clippings; certificates, coins and other ephemera. Photographs of members, dinners, and assorted functions and sponsored events with many photographs of the area scenery, special attractions, and recreational venues have been organized. A web archive begins in 2020.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Series 1 General records, papers and correspondence

Series 2 Committee records and associated papers

Series 3 Financial records and papers

Series 4 Photographs and albums

Series 5: Web Archive

Acquisition Information

The Bozeman Chamber of Commerce donated its records from 1946-1997 to Special Collections, Montana State University Library, in June, 1999. The 90th anniversary committee papers, originally accessioned as Collection 737, 1940s vintage newsletters originally accessioned as Collection 87, and some vertical file materials were also integrated into this collection.

Processing Note

This collection was processed 2009 August 11

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

1: General records, papers and correspondence, 1911-1996Return to Top

Records of the original organization and membership of the Chamber of Commerce including annual dinners and reports; listings of Board of Directors and committee chairmen; the policies, manuals, procedures, and bylaws for members and the office staffs; programs of work and committee preference lists. The directors' minutes and papers of the directors or secretary and a large amount of general correspondence is present. Office and personnel records including tax and insurance papers, leases and inventories, agreements and contracts, and accounting procedures are present. Papers and correspondence from associations and organizations including US and Montana Chambers of Commerce, and Executive organizations are also prominent. The Chamber of Commerce issued newsletters, a newspaper column, and also collected newspaper clipping news of the Chamber. Basic informational and tourist brochures, maps, calendars of events, gift certificates and awards were created by the Chamber to promote the town and its business members. Assorted ephemera was also collected such as member license plates and centennial coins.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
1	1-2	Papers	1911-1944
1	4-5	Directors, committee, and dinner meetings	1945-1946
1	6	Progress reports	1950-1960
1	7	Listings of past presidents, committee chairmen, and Boards of Directors	1959-1993
1	8	Past presidents' reminiscences for 75th anniversary	1984-1985
2	1	Policies, manuals, and mission statements
2	2	Bylaws and revisions	1960-1986
2	3	Corporate papers	1941-1990
2	4-5	Annual dinner reports and bills	1974-1984
3	1	Annual dinner reports and bills	1985-1993
3	2	Annual reports (Newspaper)	1981-1994
3	3-5	Programs of work and associated papers (incomplete)	1960-1992
3	6	Elections	1970-1988
3	7	Committee preferences	1972-1985
4	1-4	Assorted Chamber surveys	1970-1995, undated
4	5	Membership investment schedules, dues and fees	1964-1993
4	6	Contracts and agreements	1981-1993
4	7	Office leases	1950-1978
4	8	1st building	1979
5	1	Capital fund drive	1979
5	2	Property taxes	1979-1990
5	3	Office procedures - manuals - forms - tax rule notices, etc.
5	4	Personnel - duties, salaries, changes, etc.	1971-1994
5	5-6	Tax returns	1956-1995
6	1	Unemployment insurance	1956-1990
6	2	Workman's compensation insurance	1981-1990
6	3	State of Montana audit of workmans' and unemployment insurance records	1988
6	4	Assorted insurance policies and related correspondence	1977-1988
6	5	Office - equipment inventories	1952-1988
6	6	Computer and copy equipment and related service agreements	1984-1989
6	7	Communications/information systems	1983-1989
6	8	Assorted operational bills, account communications, and correspondence	1979-1992
6	9	Chamber of Commerce of the United States	1973-1994
6	10	Montana Chamber of Commerce	1968-1994
6	11	Montana Association of Chamber Executives (MACE)	1968-1986
7	1	Montana Association of Chamber Executives (MACE)	1991-1992
7	2	America Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE)	1970-1991
7	3	American Chamber of Commerce Researchers Association (ACCRA)	1978-1982
7	4	National Association of Membership Directors of Chambers of Commerce ( NAMD)	1982-1993
7	5	Gallatin Foundation, Inc.	1989-1994
7	6-7	Leadership program	1988-1992
7	8-10	Day book journals	1956-1964
8	1-2	Directors minutes	1954-1955
8	3-5	Directors and retail merchants minutes	1956-1958
8	6-17	Directors minutes	1959-1970
9	1-11	Directors minutes	1971-1982
9	12	Directors and committee minutes	1983
9	13-15	Directors minutes with some committee info	1984-1986
9	16-17	Directors minutes	1987-1988
10	1-8	Directors minutes	1989-1997
11	1-7	Board of Directors papers	1970-1986
12	1-5	Board of Directors papers	1987-1990
13	1-6	Board of Directors papers	1991-1994
14	1-3	Board of Directors papers	1994-1997
14	4-6	Assorted correspondence, A-L	1961-1971
15	1-3	Assorted correspondence, M-Z	1970-1971
15	4-6	Assorted correspondence, A-M	1972
16	1-2	Assorted correspondence, N-Z	1972
16	3-6	Assorted correspondence, A-Z	1973
16	7	Correspondence - requests for information or publications	1973
17	1	Assorted correspondence, A-Z	1974
17	2	Correspondence - requests for information or publications	1974
17	3-4	A-Z	1975
17	5	Correspondence - requests for information or publications	1975-1976
17	6	Correspondence - requests for information or publications	1976 December-1977 January
17	7	Correspondence - requests for information or publications	1977 January
18	1-2	Correspondence - requests for information or publications	1977 January
18	3	Assorted correspondence, A-Z	1977
18	4	Assorted correspondence, A-Z	1978
18	5-6	Assorted correspondence	1979-1980
19	1-5	Assorted correspondence	1981-1984
20	1-5	Assorted correspondence	1985-1989
21	1-3	Assorted correspondence	1990-1994
21	4	Newsletter - Enthusiastic Action	1970-1973
21	5	Newsletter (incomplete)- Enthusiastic Action	1977-1979
21	6	Weekly newspaper column	1974-1978
21	7	Newspaper column	1979 -1980
21	8	News releases	1980, 1982
22	1	News releases	1983-1985
22	2-6	Gallatin Valley Business-newsletter	1979-1992
22	7	Downtown Business Association ( DBA) newsletter	1984-1985
22	8-9	Newspaper clippings - News of Chamber & interests	1971-1979
23	1-7	Newspaper clippings - News of Chamber & interests	1980-1987
24	1-2	Basic information brochure on Bozeman, Gallatin County and trade area	1961-1984
24	3	Bozeman city information	1976, 1978-1979
24	4	Chamber tourism brochures
24	5	Commercial tourism brochures
24	6	Maps by Chamber of Commerce
24	7	Map development
24	8	Calendars of events	1971
25	1	Gift certificates
25	2	Fund raising ideas
25	3	Welcome plaques	circa 1970s
25	4	Member car plates (not complete)	1960-1982
25	5	Awards and certificates
25	6	Assorted buttons, coins, and other ephemera
25	7	Wally Byam Silver Jubilee Roundup album	1982

2: Committee records and associated papers, 1954-1995Return to Top

Series 2 includes minutes, correspondence, and associated papers of the various committees under the directions of the Vice Presidents and the Board of Directors. Committes featured include 1) Admistrative Affairs, which addresses government and legislative affairs, membership and finance, military affairs, MSU/Chamber relations, and Green Coats; 2) Community Affairs, which addresses centennials, civic issues, conservation, education, recreation, roads and highways, and transportation; and 3) Economic Affairs which addresses agriculture, Convention and Visitors Bureau, economic and industrial development, retail and business.

Committee activities included support for special events such as the Wally Byam conventions, BACCII trade shows, and the College National Rodeo Finals (CNRF). They also feature a small selection of Small Business Administration (SBA) programs and Gallatin Development Corporation programs, which promoted and financed local business success.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
26	1-5	Administrative - Government Affairs committee	1968-1982
27	1-5	Administrative - Legislative Affairs committee	1984-1995
27	6	Administrative - Legislative Affairs - Bed Tax committee	1979-1992
28	1-3	Administrative - Government Affairs committee - Law Enforcement Academy (LEA)	1978-1986
28	4-7	Administrative - Membership committee	1969-1974
29	1-4	Administrative - Membership/Finance committee	1975-1978
29	5	Administrative - Membership committee	1979
29	6-7	Administrative - Membership committee (survey)	1980-1981
29	8-9	Administrative - Membership committee	1982-1983
30	1-7	Administrative - Membership committee	1984-1992
30	8-9	Administrative - Military Affairs committee	1982-1989, 1993
31	1-2	Administrative - MSU/Chamber relations committee	1972-1990
31	3	Administrative - MSU/Chamber relations committee - Banquet for Excellence	1982-1991
31	4-5	Administrative - Welcome/Green Coats committee	1975 -1993
32	1	Community - Centennial Committee - 90 year	1954
32	2-3	Community - Centennial Committee - 100 year (1964)	1960-1965
32	4	Community - Correspondence - Centennial Committee -100 year (1964)	1963-1965
32	5	Community - Jan-Aug Centennial committee - news releases	1964 January-August
33	1	Community - U.S. Bi-Centennial Committee	1976
33	2	Community - Bozeman Centennial committee	1983
33	3	Community - Montana Centennial committee	1989
33	4-5	Community - Civic Affairs	1969-1995
34	1	Community - Civic Affairs - Community Chest (minutes)	1949-1956
34	2	Community - Civic Affairs - United Way	1975-1979
34	3	Community - Civic Affairs - Crimes against businesses	1968-1988
34	4	Community - Civic Affairs - Postal Studies	1979- 1981
34	5	Community - Civic Affairs - Courthouse Expansion	1976-1978
34	6	Community - Civic Affairs - Sign Ordinances	1979-1982
35	1	Community - conservation	1966-1980, 1990-1992
35	2	Community - conservation - Gallatin National Forest	1975 - 1978
35	3	Community - conservation - Geothermal Development	1979-1982
35	4-5	Community - Education Committee	1966-1989
35	6	Community - Recreation	1969-1978
35	7	Community - Recreation - World Trampoline Championships	1982
35	8-9	Community - Recreation	1982-1988
36	1-3	Community - Roads and highways	1964-1979
36	4	Community - Roads and highways - Big Sky Road	1975-1977
36	5-7	Community - Transportation committee	1969-1980
37	1	Community - Transportation committee - Railroad	1973-1980
37	2	Community - Transportation committee - Air	1973-1986
37	3-6	Community - Transportation committee - Airlines	1955-1978
38	1-5	Economic - Agriculture	1959-1984
39	1-5	Economic - Agriculture	1984-1992
40	1	Economic - Tourism/visitor promotion - Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB)	1968-1978
40	2-5	Economic - Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB)	1979-1981
41	1-5	Economic - Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB)	1982-1986
42	1-2	Economic - Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB)	1983-1999
42	3	Economic - CVB - Balloon Quest	1991-1992
42	4	Economic - CNRF (College National Rodeo Finals)	1978-1991
42	5	Economic - CVB - Japanese Governor's visit	1975
42	6	Economic - CVB - National Tourism Week	1984-1987
42	7	Economic - CVB - Snowbird Project	1987-1992
42	8	Economic - CVB - Sweet Pea Festival	1978-1989
42	9	Economic - CVB - Sports Tournaments	1981-1982
42	10	Economic - CVB - Yellowstone Country	1979-1981
43	1-5	Economic - CVB - Wally Byam Caravan Club Intl	1973-1992
44	1	Economic - CVB - Bozeman Tourism Advisory Council (BTAC)	1978-1992
44	2	Economic - CVB - Bed Tax projects	1990-1993
44	3	Economic - CVB - Pacific Northwest Travel Association (PNTA)	1968-1979
44	4	Economic - CVB - Old West Trail Foundation	1968-1982
44	5	Economic - CVB - Speaker Bureaus, speakers and programs	1975-1985
44	6	Economic - CVB - conference and convention arrangements	1963-1988
44	7	Economic - CVB - training seminars for executives and business	1979-1984
45	1	Economic - CVB - State of Montana Conventions and Tours Office A-L	1974
45	2	Economic - CVB - State of Montana Conventions and Tours Office M-Z	1974
45	3	Economic - CVB - Directory of Montana Convention facilities	1974
45	4	Economic - CVB - Bozeman Convention prospects	1974-1976
45	5-6	Economic - CVB - Visitors' log	1973-1986
46	1-2	Economic - Economic Development committee	1963-1979
46	3	Economic - Industrial Relations committee	1980-1981
46	4	Economic - Industrial Development committee	1982
46	5	Economic - Industrial Development/Business Support committees	1983-1984
46	6	Economic - Industrial Development/Business Support committees	1985-1989
47	1-5	Economic - Gallatin Development Corporation	1984-1994
48	1	Economic - Retail/Business Coordination committees	1967-1979
48	2-4	Economic - Retail committee	1981-1988
49	1-6	Economic - Retail committee- SBA programs	1964-1994
50	1	Economic - Retail committee - BACC II Trade Show	1983
50	2	Economic - Retail committee - BACC II Trade Show agreements	1983
50	3-6	Economic - Retail committee - BACC II Trade Show	1984-1995

3: Financial records and papers, 1955-1998Return to Top

Series 3 includes bank checking, savings, and investment statements; budgets; yearly financial statements and audits; assorted ledgers, bills and papers for both general finances and special projects finances. Also present are membership dues sheets, ledgers, and dues assessment changes.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
51	1	Assorted bank statements
51	2	Assorted savings and investment statements
51	3	Assorted special project bank account statements
51	4-5	Budgets	1961-1997
51	6	Budgets for special projects	1985-1993
51	7	Cash flow estimates	1985-1993
51	8	Budget comparisons	1959-1993
51	9	Budget financial study	1975
51	10	Assorted Membership lists with dues assessments	1975-1984
52	1-6	Financial statements and audits	1955-1986
53	1-5	Financial statements and audits	1987-1998
53	6	Financial statements for special event charges	1998
53	7	Bank notes	1957-1976
53	8	Debt retirement drive	1973-1975
53	9	Building fund ledger sheets	1979-1983
54	1-4	Single entry ledger	1966-1975
54	5	Christmas decoration fund	1965-1968
54	6	1000 thanks fund	1963-1972
54	7	Bozeman Visitors Bureau general ledger sheets	1973-1976
54	8	Medallion ledger sheets	1982-1983
54	9	Montana centennial committee financial records	1983
54	10	Bed tax records	1990-1993
54	11	City license master files	1983
55	1	City Bus lines account ledger	1966-1967
55	2-3	Community Chest ledger	1953-1956
55	4	Community Chest recipients ledger sheets	1956
55	5	Nelson Story III centennial bills and papers	1963-1964
55	6	Bozeman Centennial ledger	1983-1984
55	7	Membership dues ledger sheets (cancellations and business dissolutions)	1956 -1962
55	8	Membership dues ledger sheets (cont.)	1956 -1962
volume-os
1		Membership dues ledger (oversized) ** stored separately	1956-1962
2		Financial Journal (oversized) ** stored separately	1957-1963
3		General Ledger (oversized) ** stored separately	1957-1963

4: Photographs and albums, 1920s-1980sReturn to Top

Series 4 consists of assorted photographs through the years. They include portrait photos of members for informational or advertising purposes, informal snapshots of chamber meetings, dinners and Chamber sponsored functions, activities and tourist promotion. Photographs of winter and summer sports and associated resorts, landscapes, scenery, and special attractions were commissioned for the Visitor Bureau and its brochures. There are also unidentified photos and negatives during various years. The loose photographs have been sequentially numbered. Two photo albums, one general and one from the 1920s, and a 1934 photo book invitation to President Franklin Roosevelt to the Gallatin Gateway Inn are included.

Container(s)		Description	Dates
Box	Folder
56	1	Assorted directors and committee chairmen #1 - #30b
56	2	Chamber offices and visitors' centers ; BACCII, 1984; BACC Ag Day #31- #49
56	3	Assorted photos - early years through	circa 1950s
56	4	Assorted photos - #66 - #102	1960s
56	5	Assorted photos - #103 - #131	1970s
56	6	Assorted photos - #132 - #258	1980s
56	7	Assorted photos - MSU campus, buildings and programs (with some WBCCI ) #259 - #282
56	8	Assorted photos - Agriculture #283 - #340
56	9	Assorted photos - transportation - airlines #341 - #360
56	10	Assorted photos - sports and recreation #361 - #425
56	11	Big Sky - 12 promotional proof sheets and 6 singles ( numbered in white 1-131) #426 - #443
56	12	Bridger Bowl - 18 promotional proof sheets #444 - #461
57	1	Assorted promotion pictures - animals, scenery, Gallatin area, Yellowstone area #462 - #539
57	2	Aerial photos of Bozeman and eastern interchange construction	circa 1973
57	3	Miscellaneous assorted photos, most undated and unidentified #569 - #614
57	4	Assorted negatives, stored by subject, unidentified	1950s -1980
57	5	Photograph album holding assorted photographs, meetings, etc.	1960s to 1980
57	6	Photograph album of assorted subjects, includes Bozeman pea cannery and agricultural products and operations	early 1920s
57	7	"The state of Montana invites President Franklin D. Roosevelt " photo invitation for presidential visit	1934

Web Archive, 2020Return to Top

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

Boards of trade-Montana-Bozeman
Bozeman (Mont.)--Photographs
Business enterprises--Montana--Bozeman
City promotion-Montana-Bozeman
Community life-Montana-Bozeman
Place marketing-Montana-Bozeman

Corporate Names

Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce-Archives
Bozeman Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America
Gallatin Valley Commercial Club
Montana Chamber of Commerce

Geographical Names

Bozeman (Mont.)-Economic conditions-20th century
Bozeman (Mont.)-Social life and customs-20th century

Form or Genre Terms

Photographs-Montana-Bozeman

Archives West Finding Aid

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