A group of businessmen joined together in January 1867 to form the Little Rock Chamber of Commerce and Merchants Exchange, the forerunner to the current Chamber.
This organization perseveres through name changes, economic depressions, and social unrest to become a driving force in the greater Little Rock area’s growth and development. It contributes to the improvement of Little Rock’s economy and image as a major business center. Although it plays a significant role in the development of the city, much of the Chamber’s actions are behind the scenes with the general public unaware of the organization's involvement. Today the Greater Little Rock Chamber
of Commerce continues to advance Little Rock’s position in an increasingly global market. In the beginning, the Chamber primarily focused on making Little Rock a more profitable place to do business. Efforts ensuring the economic growth of the area eventually led to the realization that commercial success is inextricably tied to the total quality of life in the Little Rock area. The Chamber, through its activities concerning issues of business, transportation, military and governmental affairs, and social
issues, affects the citizens of the greater Little Rock area on a daily basis.
The Chamber labors to improve business in the area. Through the years this included issues involving agriculture, freight, small business, and large industry. The importance of each issue has varied over the years with agriculture and freight consuming the organization's energies in the early part of the its history. Today large industries play a significant part in its activities. The Chamber helped to ease the hardships brought about by the disastrous Spring Flood of 1927, and then attempted to help businesses
survive the Depression of the 1930s. Today it actively encourages companies to move to the Little Rock area by showcasing the attributes of the region.
Because a successful economic environment depends upon well-developed trade routes, the Chamber works to improve the transportation systems in central Arkansas. The Chamber’s activities supported projects and issues connected with railroads, the Arkansas River, interstates and roads, and the airport. The organization strove to bring railroads to the area and then became involved in transportation rate issues. The Chamber’s interest in the navigation of the Arkansas River began in the nineteenth century,
although it was not until the second half of the twentieth century that the river actually became navigable. Keeping in mind the best interests of the city, the Chamber voiced its approval or disapproval of road taxes, and supported projects such as the Arkansas-Missouri Highway and the Wilbur D. Mills Expressway. Realizing the potential of air travel and transportation on the local economy, in the 1930s it became involved in issues concerning Adams Field, the original name of Little Rock National Airport. Through
such transportation issues the Chamber made significant contributions to the development of the Little Rock area’s economy.
The Chamber’s involvement in military and governmental issues also adds greatly to the economic success of the area. Its activities in bringing such military sites as Camp Robinson and the Little Rock Air Force Base resulted in the addition of millions of dollars to the local economy. Through its support of topics such as the Clean Air Act, Amendment 51, and other tax issues, the Chamber protected the citizens and business interests of Little Rock. While the Chamber does not endorse political candidates,
it does educate its membership on the candidates’ platforms. It reserves endorsement for specific issues. Through involvement with local and state government the Chamber works to ensure a thriving economy for the greater Little Rock area.
The economic success of an area is tied to its quality of life and for this reason the Chamber places priorities on issues such as education, community relations, medical facilities, and leisure activities. The effects of the Chamber’s activities to improve the area’s quality of life are numerous. One such example is the Chamber’s promotion and support of the educational systems in the city. It supported increased funding for the schools, raised money for teachers’ salaries when schools
were unable to pay them, took a stand following the 1957 School Desegregation Crisis, and developed a plan for the establishment of a technical college in the greater Little Rock area. The Chamber continues its involvement in social programs and in this manner contributes to the development of the community.
The improvement of the economy includes preparing for the future. The Chamber attempts to do this by supporting the expansion of the greater Little Rock area. One example of such activity is their effort to revitalize downtown Little Rock. The Chamber hopes to bring more activity, both commercial and leisure, to the area through the development of the River Market District. Plans are underway to construct a new Chamber Center in the vicinity that will welcome visitors to the city and reflect the increasingly
modern image of the area. The new millennium holds much promise for the greater Little Rock area as the Chamber continues in its tradition of doing the things that most people think just happen.