The Lawrence Chamber of Commerce was founded on December 12, 1878 “for the purpose of fostering, promoting and improving trade, commerce, manufacturing, industrial, railroad and general interests of the city.”
Over the years the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce and its members have been leaders, building the economy of Lawrence and improving is the quality of life. The result is a beautiful city of over 80,000 residents that boasts a growing economy and outstanding educational and cultural amenities.
Some of the key community events that the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce has been instrumental in are:
Chamber Work Program
The Chamber initiated a program for men who had lost their jobs to work on city improvement tasks, receiving $2 per day in Chamber script redeemable for food, fuel and clothing at Lawrence merchants.
Relocation of Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant
The Lawrence Chamber of Commerce was a principal force for this initiative, working through Sante Fe Railroad's lobbyist in Washington for approval.
1940
Lone Star Lake
The Chamber initiated the proposal and raised 50% of the lake's cost – required by the government before construction could begin – by selling land donated by area farmers for cabin sites.
1943
US Navy machinist mates, training at KU, worked day and night sandbagging the dikes to contain the Kaw's rising floodwaters, ruining their shoes in the process. The Chamber raised $4,000 to replace their shoes and provide them with a thank you dinner and an evenings' entertainment at Haskell Stadium.
1951
Flood
The Chamber did not wait for federal assistance, but went right to work on disaster relief, providing information to evacuees and recruiting Tommy Constant to assist in clean-up efforts. After the flood, the Chamber's lobbying efforts at the federal level helped obtain the present levee system and Clinton Reservoir.
1970's
Post Quantrill's Raid
Lawrence's most serious conflict since Quantrill's Raid occurred in the early-1970s when civil unrest — both anti-war and racial — took a violent turn. Two young men were killed; others, including a police officer, were shot and many were injured. Arson was suspected, but never proven, when the KU Student Union burned. Real and false alarms kept firefighters, protected by police officers, busy around the clock.
A curfew, established to keep citizens off the streets, imposed a dark to dawn blockade enforced by Highway Patrol officers positioned at the city limits to restrict entrance into Lawrence. In cooperation with law enforcement agencies, the Chamber operated a work-pass program which distributed passes to shift-workers allowing them to drive to and from work during curfew hours. The Chamber established the Rumor Center, a place residents could call to check the accuracy of the alarming, and generally untrue, stories
that spread like wildfire throughout the city.
Once order was established, the Chamber sought to eliminate causes of the turmoil, determined to bring tolerance for the divergent views held by factions in the community. The Chamber secured a grant from the Kansas Police Enforcement Act which enabled community representatives — city, KU, law enforcement officials, businessmen, blacks, hippies, student activists, grassroots people and flower people — to participate in the Menninger Police/Community Relations Program designed to facilitate understanding
between the various segments of the community. Frequent "rap sessions" were also held at the Chamber offices.
Allen Fieldhouse
The Chamber actively pursued construction of Allen Fieldhouse, by ensuring that a field house was on KU's list of priorities for legislative consideration and lobbying the legislature for funding.
Industrial Parks
Santa Fe and East Hills industrial parks are the result of the Chambers' proactive plan to recruit companies by providing land suitable for building and, in some cases, structures ready for lease or purchase.
Oread West Research Park exists because the Chamber solicited site development proposals from owner-developers for construction of a private research park.