Chamber of Commerce fonds

Scope and Content: This fonds contains records created by the Chamber of Commerce to help promote Smithers and its businesses. These include magazines, pamphlets, a novelty paper placemat, a claim map, a copy of the All Seasons Bulletin newsletter, a publication entitled “The Kids Came Back,” 6 photographs from the 1…

Physical Description: ~3.5 cm of textual records; 1 placemat; 1 map; 6 photographs (colour)

History / Biographical: The Smithers Chamber of Commerce began as the local Board of Trade, officially changing its name to the Chamber of Commerce in 1929. Its role was to promote and protect the interests of the Smithers business community. During the Great Depression, the Chamber played a key role in the establishment of the Experimental Farm, having petitioned Ottawa for years before the request was officially granted in 1938. It considered dam construction on the Bulkley River in 1945, but this never came to fruition. A Junior Chamber of Commerce was created in 1949. Today’s Chamber of Commerce offers a wide range of services, including relocation packages, e-mail distribution, photocopying, mail service, and maps, to both its members and the community as a whole. In partnership with the Smithers Visitor Centre, it plays a significant role in attracting new businesses to the Bulkley Valley. On its website it maintains a directory of Smithers businesses, as well as links to other community organizations and resources.

Custodial History: Item from 1996.153 was donated by Glenn Norton on October 28, 1996. Item from 2017.83 was transferred from the Penticton Archives on April 18, 1998. Items from 2018.2 and 2020.15 were found in collections and added to the Chamber of Commerce fonds in 2018 and 2020 respectively. Items from 2018.5 were donated by Geri Britton on February 28, 2018. Item from 2020.34 had previously been in the museum’s reference files, but was accessioned and added to fonds in August 2020. Items from 2020.36 were found in collections in October 2020, in a box of photos that had been sent to the Interior News prior to 2003 and transferred to the museum at an unknown date.

Scope and Content: This fonds contains records created by the Chamber of Commerce to help promote Smithers and its businesses. These include magazines, pamphlets, a novelty paper placemat, a claim map, a copy of the All Seasons Bulletin newsletter, a publication entitled “The Kids Came Back,” 6 photographs from the 1999 Business Achievement Awards, and a folder entitled “Smithers: A Town For All Seasons,” containing a variety of advertisements, pamphlets, and similar documents.

Chamber of Commerce fonds