Inventory of the Gardena Valley Chamber of Commerce Collection SPC.2015.003
Robert Bush
California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections
2016-04-11
University Library South -5039 (Fifth Floor)
1000 E. Victoria St.
Carson, CA 90747
Business Number: 310-243-3895
archives@csudh.edu
Contributing Institution:
California State University Dominguez Hills, Gerth Archives and Special Collections
Title: Gardena Valley Chamber of Commerce Collection
Creator:
Gardena Valley Chamber of Commerce
Identifier/Call Number: SPC.2015.003
Physical Description:
13 boxes
Physical Description:
4.5 Linear Feet
Date (inclusive): 1888-2004; undated
Date (bulk): 1960-1990
Abstract: The collection consists of scrapbooks, documents, publications, photographs, videotapes, and other material related to the
history and activities of the Gardena, California, Chamber of Commerce.
Language of Material:
English
.
Conditions Governing Access
There are no access restrictions on this collection, except where notated at file-level.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Director of Archives
and Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical
materials and not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Preferred Citation
Processing Information
This collection was processed by Robert Bush in March of 2016.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Donated by the Gardena Valley Chamber of Commerce in 2015.
Gardena Valley Chamber of Commerce History
The Gardena Valley Chamber of Commerce was incorporated on April 29, 1933, three years after the creation of the City of Gardena,
California. The Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization whose volunteer membership includes businesses, civic leaders,
and government officials from the Gardena Valley area, which is located in the South Bay region of Los Angeles County.
In its early years, the chamber's main concerns were supporting civic improvements, such as paved streets, street lighting,
a sewer system, and gas and electricity. Its primary function historically has been to further the interests of local businesses
through promotion, the sponsorship of community events, and engagement on legislative issues.
Scope and Contents
The Gardena Valley Chamber of Commerce Collection (1888-2004; undated) contains 13 boxes and 4.5 linear feet of material that
documents the evolution of the business community in Gardena. It consists of scrapbooks, minutes, official records, publications,
photographs, and awards documenting the organization's history and activities. Chronological scrapbooks include newspaper
clippings, photographs, correspondence, and memorabilia. Publications in the collection include commemorative newspapers,
a local business directory, and editions of the chamber's official publication, "Gardena Valley Business Life". Documents
include board minutes, organizational charts, annual reports, correspondence, and economic and demographic profiles of the
City of Gardena.
An extensive collection of photographs documents Chamber of Commerce officers and members, including official photographs
of the organization's presidents and board members. Also documented are organizational activities, local business openings,
and local and area sites. Local, state, and national dignitaries pictured in the collection include Los Angeles mayor Tom
Bradley, Los Angeles County supervisor Kenneth Hahn, California Governor Pete Wilson, United States Attorney General Edwin
Meese, United States Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, and President George H. W. Bush. Individual albums include images
of the 1971 Gardena Expo, the Gold Cup motorcycle races held at local race promoter J. C. Agajanian's Ascot Park race track,
and the construction of the Hustler Casino.
A small collection of VHS videocassettes containing episodes of a Chamber of Commerce television show and other locally broadcast
events is also included.
Separated Materials
oversized materials are stored separately from the rest of the collection.
Related Materials
For related material please see: City of Gardena Collection;
Gardena Valley News; Donald Greaton Gardena Collection; and James H. Osborne Gardena Photograph Collection.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Boards of trade
Motorcycles, Racing
Casinos
Chambers of Commerce
Gardena (Calif.)
Los Angeles County (Calif.)
Bradley, Tom, 1917-1998
Bush, George, 1924-2018
Hahn, Kenneth
Meese, Edwin
Weinberger, Caspar W.
Wilson, Pete, 1933-
Series I: Scrapbooks and Newsclippings
1962-1998
box 1, folder 1
scrapbook
January 1962, April 1963-April 1964
Scope and Contents
Contains clippings mostly from
Gardena Tribune;
Gardena Valley News; and
Daily Breeze.
box 1, folder 2
scrapbook
1967
Scope and Contents
Contains clippins from
Gardena Valley Industrial Review; and
Gardena Valley News
box 1, folder 3-6
"Scrapbook 1967-1968"
1967-1968
Scope and Contents
Contains
Gardena Valley News clippings; photographs; invocations; inviations to Christ in Art Festival and other events; memorandums; action report; information
regarding Wooden Nickel Days, and FanFare; and other related material.
box 1, folder 7-9, box 2, folder 6-9
Scrapbook
1969-1970
Scope and Contents
Contains clippings; photographs; luncheon invitations; community calendars; ballot measures; clippings and photographs regarding
products expo, art exhibit, 'Gardena Beautiful' award, director of the year event, annex bill, and others.
Processing Information
Scrapbook was disassembled for preservation purposes.
box 2, folder 1-2
scrapbook "Santa's House"
August 1970-December 1971
Scope and Contents
Includes clippings; memorandums; photographs; schedules; invitations; greeting cards; and Christmas wish lists.
box 2, folder 3-5
"Scrapbook 1970-1971"
July 1970-June 1971
Scope and Contents
Includes: clippings and articles from
Gardena Valley News
Los Angeles Times and other publications regarding installation banquet, annexation, Gardena Beautiful Award, Gardena Library Japanese Garden,
EXPO, and other topics related to the Chamber of Commerce; photographs; invitations; community calendars; and other material.
box 3, folder 1-2
"Scrapbook 1971-1972"
July 1971-June 1972
Scope and Contents
Includes: clippings, articles, memorandums, invitations, flyers, and photographs regarding 4th of July event, installation
dinner, "keep it clean" event, awards dinner, Japanese garden perservation committee, mixers, and others.
box 3, folder 3-4
"Scrapbook 1972-1973"
July 1972-June 1973
Scope and Contents
Includes: clippings, articles, memorandums, invitations, flyers, and photographs regarding installation dinner, mixers, ribbon
cutting events, jobs program, youth talent contest, expo, and others.
box 3, folder 5
scrapbook
June 1973-June 1974
Scope and Contents
Includes: clippings, articles, memorandums, invitations, flyers, and photographs regarding Gardena Gold Cup, pan ordinance,
groundbreaking and ribbon cutting events, and others.
box 4, folder 1
scrapbook
June 1976-June 1977
Scope and Contents
Includes: clippings and articles regarding Bailey installation, Gold Cup, new chamber officers, ribbon cutting, Gardena Beautiful
Award, bicentennial, Bob Giuliano roast, Timms Medal of Valor award, and others.
box 4, folder 2
scrapbook
June 1977-June 1978
Scope and Contents
Includes: clippings, articles, programs, and regarding installation event, Gold Cup, ribbong cutting event, Medal of Valor
luncheon, golf tournament, and others. Also includes copies of
The Competitive Edge Gardena Valley Chamber of Commerce Newsletter.
box 4, folder 3-4
"Scrapbook 1980-1981"
June 1980-June 1981
Scope and Contents
Includes clippings, articles, invitations, photographs, and memorandums regarding installation dinner, awards events, calendar
of events, mixers, Gold Cup, 50th anniversary ball, Dodgers event, Anita Bell roast, Medal of Valor luncheon, groundbreaking
events, and others. Also contains a copy of "Business and Industry in the Gardena Valley", "Legislative Alert", 1981 Annual
Report, and bulletins.
box 2, folder 6
Scrapbook
1986-1987
Scope and Contents
Includes: event flyers; clippings; photographs; material related to Festival of Wines; bulletins.
box 6, folder 9
Scrapbook-California Historical Scenes/Gardena Church of Christ Scientist
undated
box 4, folder 5
Gardena Valley News clippings
1975, 1977, 1980, 1984-1985
Scope and Contents
Includes clippings and articles regarding Jill Gomes, Gold Cup, ribbon cutting events, festival of wines, "Free Enterprise
Day", Bill Gerber, and other topics related to Gardena Chamber of Commerce.
box 5, folder 1
Gardena Valley News Chamber of Commerce 50th Anniversary Supplement; other newspaper articles
April 1983, July 1985, July 1998
Scope and Contents
South Bay Business Vol. 1, No. 4;
Los Angeles Times article "Western Avenue: Not Long Ago South Bay Area Cut by Street Was 'Edge of the World'.
box 5, folder 2
Commemorative Newspapers, Gardena Valley Directory
1979-1985
box 5, folder 3-6
Gardena Valley Business Life Official Publication of Gardena Valley Chamber of Commerce
1979-1990, 1991, 1993
Series II: Organizational Records
1888-2002
box 6, folder 4
historical sketches; board of directors, officials and employee contact lists; memorandums; material related to Hollypark
committee meeting
1954, 1969-1973; undated
Conditions Governing Access
Contact lists marked as "confidential" are restricted from access and use.
box 6, folder 1
Board of Directors- roll calls, meeting minutes
1966-1976
box 6, folder 2
Board of Directors- meeting minutes; proposed budgets
1968-1976
box 6, folder 10
"Business and Industry in the Gardena Valley" [booklet]
circa 1980
box 6, folder 3
Presidents' Resumes
undated
Scope and Contents
Resumes for Terence J. Matthews; R.S. Bill Bailey
box 5, folder 9
business directory
April 1985
box 5, folder 10
Roast of Carol Nichols [program]
November 1994
box 6, folder 11
"State of the City 2002"; All-America City buttons and stickers
2002
box 6, folder 6
community economic profile (August 1981); "Summary of Election Results" (1984); "Demographic Economic Social Profile and Development
Activity Report" (January 1, 1990); Fact Sheet, Census Data (1990);
1981, 1984, 1990
box 5, folder 11
county property tax receipts- assessed to Elizabeth J. Boucher and William C. German. Property of Gardena Valley Chamber of
Commerce, donated by fire chief and Mrs. Carl (Geraldine) Carlson
1888-1937
Series III: Photographs
1920, 1950-2001; undated
box 5, folder 7
Photographs-Gardena Civic Center, Telephone Directory Cover, Photo Collage
April 1979; circa 1970s
box 5, folder 8
Photographs-Gardena Tournament of Roses Floats
1955, 1956, 1959
box 5, folder 12
Photograph of a group of people standing outside of a "Gardena Valley Chamber of Commerce Makes Things Happen" sign
undated
box 9, folder 1-5
Photographs-Chamber of Commerce Presidents
1950-1996
box 9, folder 6
Photographs-Past Presidents
undated
box 9, folder 7
Photographs-Board of Directors
undated
box 10
Photographs- Dated Events
1960s-2000s
Scope and Contents
Includes images of Christmas parade and event; groundbreaking for "Galaxy" apartment project; tree planting; award ceremonies;
municipal swimming pool; products expo; luncheons; store openings; ambasadors workshop; installation dinners; Loyalty Day
parade; dunk tank event; beautification awards; Anita Bell roast; Aloha Days; State of City Mayor's Luncheon; Miss Nisei Week;
summer festival; "The Future of Aerospace and Defense in the South Bay" event; Normandie Casino; Korean Cultural Festival;
Lions Club; and others.
box 11
Photographs- Undated Events
1950-1959
Scope and Contents
Includes images of Gardena Valley News office; cpr event; Christmas event; Gardena Beautiful Award; groundbreaking; products
expo; award dinners; helicopter and balloon release; roller derby; parades; Gardena Heritage Festival; Medal of Valor; and
others.
box 12, folder 1
Photographs- Gardena Expo
1971
box 12, folder 2
Photographs-Gold Cup Motocycle Races
undated
box 12, folder 3
Photographs- Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournaments
1976-1980, 1994-1998; undated
box 12, folder 4
Photographs- People
1920, 1975, 1985, 1999, undated
box 12, folder 5
"Old Gardena Valley News Pictures"
1973, 1974, 1985, undated
box 13, folder 1-6
Photographs-Business Openings/New Members
1960s-2001; undated
box 13, folder 7
Photographs-Area Sites
undated
box 13, folder 8
Photographs- Hustler Casino Construction
1999-2000
Series IV: Certificates, Plaques, Ephemera
1971-1998; undated
box 6, folder 7
Certificates
1997-1998
Scope and Contents
Gardena Heritage Festival; California Chamber of Commerce
box 6, folder 8
Ephemera
1971-1994; undated
Scope and Contents
Includes: "Shopper's Guide and Business Directory"; "Retail Sales Seminar" program (1971); "We Belong to the Gardena Valley
Chamber of Commerce, Do You?" plaque; 46th Annual Dinner and Installation of Officers program (1978); Cruise flyer (1985);
Installation of Officers and Directors document (1994); "Wizard of Oz" program; envelope (postmarked 1980)
box 7, folder 1
Plaque-South Bay Area Telephone Directory Cover
undated
box 7, folder 2
Plaque-Walter Klasse Perpetual Ambassador of the Year Award
1976-1995
box 7, folder 3
Plaque-Chamber of Commerce 50th Anniversary Commemoration 1983
1983
box 7, folder 4
Plaque-Hall of Fame 1982-1985
1982-1985
box 7, folder 5
Flag-City of Gardena
undated
case 2, drawer 3
Sign-"Gardena All-America City"
undated
Physical Location: This item is stored separately from the rest of the collection in map case 2, drawer 3.
Large circular wooden wall hanging with Chamber of Commerce logo (stored separately)
undated
Series V: Audiovisual Material
2004; undated
box 8, folder 1
Gardena Chamber of Commerce Television Show [VHS]
October 2003; January 2004; March 2004
Physical Description: 3 items
box 8, folder 2
Gardena State of the City Address [VHS]
2004
box 8, folder 2
Gardena Chamber of Commerce Show- Normandie Casino [VHS]
undated
box 8, folder 2
Gardena Chamber of Commerce- Business Person of the Year [VHS]
undated
