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Chamber History
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Our Chamber has
a long and interesting history. For over forty years, with
a few brief intermissions, chamber or chamber-like organizations
have been actively promoting the development of Murray County
and the welfare of its citizens. The first of these
organizations was the Chatsworth Chamber of Commerce, chartered
in 1948. The founding directors were Frederick Brown,
Floyd Wilbanks, Sr., Robert Vining, E. W. McDougall, R. E.
Chambers, Robert Hemphill, Barron Brooks, Wilbur Jackson and J.
A. Springfield. The officers were J. T. Kenemer,
president; Charles A. Pannell, vice-president; and R. E.
Chambers, secretary-treasurer. According to Barron Brooks,
the prime-mover in founding this organization was R. E.
Chambers. Mr. Chambers was very much involved in all such
organizations in Murray County as well as to promote tourism.
The primary businesses that were sought after were the "spread
houses", forerunners of today's carpet industry. This
original chamber raised enough money to purchase the Chief Vann
House which they then donated to the Historical Society.
Charles Pannell was especially active in the Vann House project.
The Chatsworth Chamber of Commerce disbanded after two or three
years. |
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The community
leaders decided that a name change might help their effort and
in 1956 they chartered Chatsworth Enterprises, Inc. The
purposes of Chatsworth Enterprises were the same as those of
Chatsworth Chamber of Commerce - to promote industrial
development and tourism. R. E. Chambers was the first
president of Chatsworth Enterprises, Inc. Over the next
fifteen years or so, Chatsworth Enterprises was very active and
brought in many industries, including Fort Mountain Tufters.
Chatsworth Enterprises, Inc. also developed ties with the
Highway 411 Association in Maryville, Tennessee to promote
tourism along our main artery. Chatsworth Enterprises
disbanded in the early 1970's after a very successful record.
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Chatsworth
Industries, Inc. was formed in 1957 with W. W. Fincher as
president. This organization was not chamber-like but was
a business corporation formed to encourage real estate
development. One of the reasons Chatsworth Industries,
Inc. was formed, however, was because of the experience that
Chatsworth Enterprises had in trying to find available land for
incoming industries to purchase. Four stockholders of
Chatsworth Industries purchased the J. A. Howard farm in 1965.
From this purchase Murray Industrial park was formed.
Chatsworth Industries, Inc. was disbanded in 1981. |
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Economic
development, industrial development, diversified industry, a
larger tax base, increased tourist traffic, a healthy economy,
more and better paying jobs, a better quality of life for Murray
Countians -- these are the things a chamber of commerce strives
to accomplish. These were the goals of the 1948 Chatsworth
Chamber of Commerce; these are the goals of today's
Chatsworth-Murray County Chamber of Commerce. |
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In 1977 Andrew
B. "Bennie" Becton rekindled the idea of a local Chamber of
Commerce. Mr. Becton had arrived in Chatsworth from
Pompano Beach, Florida in 1975 as the Vice-President of the
newly formed First National Bank of Chatsworth. In
Florida, he had experienced what an active chamber can
accomplish. As the 1977 president of the Chatsworth
Kiwanis Club, Mr. Becton formed a committee to start a chamber
of commerce in Murray County. The committee was made up of
the following four persons: Bennie Becton, Lawrence Knight
(a paralegal assistant working for Pete Calhoun), Calvin Means
(formerly WQMT) and Charles Etheridge, then of Cohutta Banking
Company. The project of forming a new chamber was
underwritten by the Kiwanis Club. |
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In May1977, the
first Board of Directors was elected at a meeting held at
Cohutta Lodge. In June of 1977, the first officers of the
Chamber were elected with Charles Etheridge serving as the first
president. On June 27, 1977 the Chatsworth-Murray County
Chamber of Commerce was officially incorporated with its charter
stating the following as its purpose: "Advancing and
encouraging development of the city of Chatsworth and Murray
County and the best interest of all citizens of the entire
community. To advertise the city and county to aid and
encourage the membership of this corporation in their respective
businesses, trades or professions, to foster the general
economic welfare and civic betterment of Chatsworth and Murray
County". The Chamber's first offices were donated by H. Y.
Dangler and were located in the Dangler Building over Dangler
Real Estate. Lawrence Knight served as the first part-time
Executive Vice-President. Later the Chamber offices were
moved to the Federal Building. |
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The going has
not always been easy, but due to the dedication and
determination of its leaders and staff, the Chamber has
accomplished a lot over the past eighteen years. The
following persons have served as president of the Chamber since
its beginning: Charles Etheridge, Jerry Lifsey, Ben
Messer, Tom Greeson, Ed Lewandowski, Sue Wilson, Doug Ellis,
Albert Edwards, Jim Hazel, Bert Watts, Don Phillips, Dan
Townsend, Jimmy Wilbanks, Gail Joye (acting), Floyd Franklin,
Eddie Miller, Anne Brindle, Joel Etheridge, Dick Berger, Greg
Baker, Arnold Hufstetler, Rodney West, Steve Anglea, Dan Sluder,
Bob Walsh and Michael Fortner. |
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The
Chatsworth-Murray County Chamber of Commerce is alive and well.
It has accomplished a lot in its 26-year history but has no
intentions of resting on its laurels. With the help and
participation of all members of the community, the possibilities
for enhancing the quality of life for all Murray Countians is
limitless.
-----by Tim
Howard |
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