On April 17, 1882, 26 leading Seattle citizens and businessmen organized the Seattle Chamber of Commerce with the intent of protecting local interests. The Chamber reorganized in 1910 to broaden its scope, taking the name “New Seattle Chamber of Commerce.” Among the goals of the new Chamber were “to promote the growth and development of the State of Washington, the territory of Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.”
The new Chamber installed several new bureaus, including the Alaska Bureau (also called the Alaska Department), created in November 1911. The purpose of the Bureau was the “encouragement and promotion of the development of Alaska,” by working for legislation and appropriations to improve the land and water transportation facilities of Alaska, as well as to “disseminate the truth about Alaska” in order to promote the territory’s development. To this end, the bureau created promotional materials, including albums and exhibits. The Alaska Business Forum of today's Chamber continues this work of fostering relationships between Alaska and the Seattle business community.
This card, issued by Alaska Department manager Charles D. Garfield, welcomes visitors from Alaska and offers the use the Chamber of Commerce facilities in the Arctic Building as visitors' "headquarters while in the city."
Additional Information: Digital copy of this item available thanks to funding from a 2016 Institute for Museum and Library Services grant. Metadata updated as part of a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the Library Services and Technology Act, through the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.
