HistoryA Brief History of the Chamber of Commerce
When the Holland Area Chamber of Commerce’s founding group, the Holland Board of Trade, was formed in 1908, 26 members gathered to pass a constitution and elect officers by ballot.
When the organization’s early members and trustees gathered they began to brainstorm on how to bring business to the Holland area. Their approach included: Creating the financial means to purchase land, recruiting businesses to town, selling them land owned by the Board of Trade, and financing the transactions by selling bonds.
Although their purpose centered on boosting business in the Holland area, it’s unlikely that they considered the long-range potential of the meeting, the Holland Chamber’s 100th anniversary in 2008.
The Board of Trade was establishing a community beyond its roots when the Ottawa tribe paddled their canoes to shore. The Holland Chamber’s founders were part of the influx of European immigrants who came to the Promised Land to control their own destinies. The leaders and community members had already hand dug a channel to Lake Michigan, opening Holland to the Great Lakes shipping. They had already rebuilt the community after the devastating fire of 1871. Now the hardworking citizens were determined to expand the economic base.
Businesses such as the Holland Rod and Bait Company, the Dearborn Engraving Company, Bowler Sporting Goods Manufacturing Company of Chicago, and the Michigan Art Carving Company of Grand Rapids formed and relocated to Holland. The Board offered incentives, much like today’s governmental and economic development corporations. The Board also performed background checks on companies before approving financing.
Within a year of forming, trustees met with city council members to discuss a new city hall. For the next several decades, the Board of Trade continued to buy local property and sell it to qualifying businesses. One of its incentive programs focused on the number of jobs created. In 1920, a deed was turned over to the Superior Foundry prior to official pay-off because the company had exceeded contract conditions by paying out more than $180,000 in local salaries during its first five years of operation. The Board’s financial fund became known as the Holland Bonus Fund.
In 1929, the Tulip Time Festival was announced to the world. The unique gathering allows the community to celebrate its heritage and has become a hallmark for the Holland Area.
In 1940, the Holland Board of Trade became the Holland Area Chamber of Commerce. Its mission: To advance the commercial, industrial, professional, and civic welfare of the Greater Holland Area, and to cultivate a spirit of cooperation, tolerance, and helpfulness among its residents. The mission of the Holland Chamber today is to build an exceptional community, advocate for a strong business climate, and provide value to our members.
As the years have passed, the success of the area’s strong manufacturing and commercial base speak of the success of the Holland Chamber’s founders and those who continue to invest their lives in helping the community prosper. Today, the Holland area is one of the largest business, retail, and industrial centers on Michigan’s west shore.
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