The Meadville-Western Crawford County Chamber of Commerce is one of the 10 oldest in the United States. We were organized in 1807 in the log court house and meeting hall on Diamond Park- the site of the present day Founder's House. Henry Baldwin- then the first district attorney for western Pennsylvania and future U.S. Supreme Court Justice as well as Roger Alden, agent for the Holland Land Company were two of its primary organizers- both from New Haven, CT.
We have a long and distinguished history in the greater Meadville area, with just a few of our accomplishments listed here:
- In 1902, George DeArment was offered a $5,000, 4.5% interest loan from the Chamber of Commerce to move his operations from Conneaut Lake to Meadville, PA. This loan guaranteed the expansion of Channellock Tool, an ever growing business and regional employer to this day.
- On June 6, 1905, the Chamber of Commerce hosted an organizational meeting in their offices above the Academy Theatre on Chestnut Street in Meadville to decide if there was a need for a Country Club in this community. As a result of this meeting, Articles of Incorporation were drafted and approved by the Court in Crawford County the next month.
- The Meadville Chamber of Commerce acted as the catalyst for the creation of the Meadville Housing Corporation, a civic housing project aimed at fixing the lack of available housing for the influx of workers to Meadville from the surrounding areas during the Great Depression. On March 13, 1935, with Chamber backing, this group was formed, stock was sold, and funds were raised to begin building "Hillcrest" within a year- serving the needs of the community to this day.
In 2024, the Chamber celebrated 217 years of serving as an advocate for the community. We regularly field calls from those wanting to start a business, those needing connected to community resources, those out of the area, and those unsure of where to turn. The Chamber, your Chamber, is strong and growing- getting ready to serve you for the next 200 years!
