The collection consists of two series: WISCONSIN STATE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RECORDS and WISCONSIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EXECUTIVES RECORDS. The relationship between the two organizations is unclear, but was probably strengthened by the involvement of Alice Taylor, the organization service director of the WSCC and the secretary-treasurer of the WCCE. The organization service director coordinated the WSCC's projects involving local area chambers of commerce, while the secretary-treasurer maintained the WCCE's records. The bulk of the collection documents the Wisconsin State Chamber of Commerce (WSCC), especially its activities during the period from 1940 to 1960. Documented activities of the WSCC include day-to-day operations of the organization, research and preparation of pamphlets and handbooks on issues concerning businesses in Wisconsin, and lobbying state and federal government to reduce taxation and enact legislation beneficial to small businesses. The records for the period from 1929 to 1939 provide excellent documentation of the issues which concerned the Wisconsin business community, especially the pavement of roads, reduction of barriers to interstate commerce, and federal taxation. The records for the period from 1940 to 1960 document the transition of Wisconsin businesses from the Depression to the post-World War II era. The Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce Executives Records are fragmentary, documenting annual conferences and programs from 1960 to 1973.
The WISCONSIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE RECORDS are comprised of Administrative Records, Committee Records, Meetings, Subject Files, Publicity and Outreach, and Publications. The Administrative records include several historical folders summarizing WSCC's activities; an incomplete run of the Board of Directors records including minutes of meetings, general files, membership, and administrative handbooks; fragmentary general correspondence; and financial records including audits, statements, and correspondence relating to dues and bank loans. The administrative records document extensively the policies and procedures of the WSCC as well as the financial difficulties the chamber encountered during the Depression. Some of the materials are similar to those found elsewhere in the collection: the Board of Directors' minutes contain some records of WSCC's committees for the period from 1929 to 1947, as well as financial audits and statements for the period prior to 1937. The financial records for the fiscal year 1939-1940 are located in the records of the Administrative Committee.
The Committee Records, arranged chronologically, are an incomplete file of minutes and subject materials documenting the periods from 1928 to 1929 and from 1947 to 1954. The bulk of the material consists of the files of the Labor Relations, Social Security Legislation, and Travel and Vacation committees. The Labor Relations committee files contain descriptions and analysis of federal and state legislation and judicial decisions concerning collective bargaining, as well as reports on Wisconsin's unemployment compensation system and a copy of the Labor Relations Manual, compiled by the Chamber of Commerce of the United States. The Labor Relations Committee records also contain copies of the Labor Relations Bulletin for 1953. The Social Security Legislation Committee files contain reports, clippings, and comments on Social Security compiled by WSCC and the United States Chamber of Commerce and information on unemployment benefits in Wisconsin and other midwestern states. Additional minutes and reports of committees for the period prior to 1947 are located within the Board of Directors minutes in the Administrative records.
Meeting Records consist of files on annual meetings, programs, and conferences sponsored by WSCC. The annual meetings files contain attendance lists, organizational documents, and copies and transcripts of speeches and discussions held during these meetings; the files are incomplete with the majority of the records for the period after 1953 missing. The programs and conferences documentation is arranged alphabetically by the name of the program and includes description of the content and of issues addressed.
The Subject files, maintained by the WSCC staff, are arranged alphabetically and chronologically thereunder. Materials include pamphlets, correspondence, and background information from the 1940s. The files document the WSCC's activities as well as provide information on issues affecting Wisconsin businesses prior to and during World War II.
The Publicity and Outreach consists of general correspondence, press releases, photographs, and membership development materials. The general correspondence and press releases contain announcements of programs and events circulated to members, local area chambers of commerce, and the press. Correspondence and press releases from 1937 to 1954 are missing. The photographs document a variety of the activities of the organization and its members. The membership development materials contain records of various campaigns to increase membership as well as a collection of short biographical outlines of WSCC members, government officials, influential businessmen, and lawyers.
The Publications consist of an incomplete collection of WSCC newsletters, brochures, conference proceedings, reports, and informational pamphlets. Additional publications, including the Barter Bulletin, are available in the State Historical Society of Wisconsin library.
WISCONSIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE EXECUTIVES RECORDS are arranged into Administrative Records, Programs and Conferences, Secretary-Treasurer Files, and Publications. The bulk of the collection documents the period from 1960 to 1973. Documented activities include annual conferences and various programs.
The Administrative Records contain a file of brief historical surveys of local chambers of Wisconsin, the minutes of the Board of Directors' meetings, and a collection of short biographical outlines on WCCE's members. Programs and Conferences documents the annual conferences of the WCCE and includes attendance lists, correspondence, and speeches. The Secretary-Treasurer's Files contain administrative correspondence, financial records, and reports from various committees. The Publications files contain copies of the WCCE newsletter from 1950 to 1969.
