SOURCE: Deposited by the Troup County Chamber of Commerce on

April 27, 1993.

SIZE: 2.67 linear feet

SHELVING UNITS: 2 Record Center boxes

2 Manuscript boxes

PROCESSING: DLR, May 1993; AMW, June 1996

HISTORICAL NOTE

The Troup County Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1911 as the LaGrange Chamber of Commerce. It was chartered as a corporation on September 23, 1947. The original purpose of the organization was to promote civic, commercial, industrial, agricultural, social, and educational development for the city of LaGrange and Troup County. The organization urges community involvement in improving the city and county. This interest led to involvement in many projects and events designed to encourage people and businesses to move to this area. For instance, the organization advises on business hours and holidays for merchants, built a livestock barn, offers information to visitors about the area, works with charitable organizations, and publishes a monthly newsletter all in an effort to promote the county.

Through the years the Chambers' goals have remained much the same though the emphasis has shifted more to industrial and commercial development. The Chamber of Commerce has periodically been affiliated with other organizations with similar purposes,

such as the Troup Livestock Association, Inc., the Troup Farmers Foundation, and the Ruban Association.

The governing body of the Chamber of Commerce consists of a president, vice president, treasurer, and a Board of Directors. The first Executive Secretary was employed in January 1949. That position has existed almost continually since then, although the title has changed to Manager and then to Executive Director. A women's division of the Chamber was organized on November 23, 1971. In November 1988, the Chamber's name was changed to Troup County Chamber of Commerce reflecting the inclusion

of Hogansville and West Point business leaders.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

This collection contains minutes of the Chamber of Commerce's Annual meetings and Board of Directors meetings from 1947 to 1988 (except for 1965 and 1967-1968). These minutes describe the activities of the Chamber of Commerce and include such items as membership tallies, financial reports, some committee minutes and reports, correspondence, and other business. The loose materials that were in the minute books have been taken out of the books and placed in corresponding folders.

Copies of the newsletters published by the Chamber from 1962 to 1992 are also included in this collection. There is a file of minutes and correspondence of the Ruban Association for the year 1957. Information about the Chamber before it was incorporated in 1947 can be found in the file of correspondence from the years 1927 to 1933. A folder of newsclippings about the Chamber and its activities completes the collection.

CONTAINER LIST

Record Center Box 1 Minute Books

1947-1964

1966

1969-1979

Record Center Box 2 Minutes Books

1980-1988

Manuscript Box 3

Folder 1 Correspondence, 1927-1933

2 Financial Statements, 1984-1986

3-6 Loose Materials, 1950-1954; 1963; 1969-1970; 1980-1981; 1987-1988; undated

7 Map of LaGrange, c. 1960s

Manuscript Box 4

Folder 1 Newsclippings

2-6 Newsletters, 1962-1992

7 Ruban Association, 1957

RELATED COLLECTIONS AT TROUP COUNTY ARCHIVES

Photograph Collections

TRP-093

Folder 1

1 Smith and Culpepper Gas Station, Corner of Bull and Main

Streets, site of Chamber of Commerce's current location, n.d.

TRP-096T3

Folder 1 Color Photographs

1-2 Court Square (now Lafayette Square) at Christmas time, LaGrange, 1964

3-13 Aerial photos of LaGrange, c. 1970s

Folder 2 Black and White Photographs

1 Aerial photo of Hillside and Valway plants, c. 1950s

2 Aerial photo of airport, LaGrange, 1972

3 Nowell Smith - Pleasant Grove Community from the Callaway Beacon, November 28, 1952

4 Harvest Fest, Q. N. Johnson studio, c. 1950s

5 Henry Milan, chairman of fundraising committee; O. R. Candle; and Hal Brady, President of LaGrange Chamber of Commerce at the groundbreaking for the Rural-Urban building, c. 1950s

6 Harvest Festival, Q. N. Johnson studio, c. 1950s

7 Glass Covered Bridge, n.d.

8 Troup County Hospital, n.d.

9 U.S. Post Office, Church Street, c. 1950s

10 LaGrange Fire Station, J. Hugh Campbell, c. 1950s

11 Court Square, c. 1950s

12 Ruban sale, c. 1954

13 First Baptist Church on Broad Street, c. 1950s

Folder 3 Black and White Photographs

1 Aerial view of LaGrange College, J. Hugh Campbell - photographer, c. 1950s

2 LaGrange Chamber of Commerce, c. 1950s

3 Gerry Amon, c. 1950s

4 Callaway Airport, LaGrange, c. 1950s

5 Frank Tigner, Mayor; Q. N. Johnson - photographer; c. 1950s

6 Glass Covered Bridge, n.d.

7 Unidentified Antebellum mansion, n.d.

8 LaGrange Memorial Library, Q. N. Johnson - photographer, c. 1950s

9 Highland Country Club, c. 1950s

10 Harwell Avenue Elementary School, Q. N. Johnson studio, c. 1950s

11 Hill Street School, c. 1950s

12 Christmas tree, Court Square, J. Hugh Campbell, c. 1960s

TRACINGS

Cattleman's Association Chamber of Commerce Industrial Development LaGrange - History

LaGrange - Map of, c. 1960s

Ruban Association

Troup County Livestock Association Troup Farmers Foundation