Milford Area Chamber Hits Centennial, Plans Celebration

The Milford Area Chamber of Commerce, which includes many members from Franklin, is celebrating an important milestone --a 100th
anniversary. And the organization is planning an appropriately festive occasion in early August.

A century ago, of course, Milford was very much the “big city” in the area. In the 1920 US Census, Milford weighed in at 13,471 persons, while Franklin totaled less than half that number – some 5,407 in all. So, Milford was the focus and the natural place to launch such an endeavor and sustain it for a century.

According to an old clipping from the Milford Daily News, the Milford Area Chamber of Commerce, then known simply as the Milford Chamber of Commerce, got it start with a meeting in May of 1922, the culmination of more than a year of informal discussions.

And ever since, the Chamber has been innovating and helping businesses in Milford and beyond. The first steps were simple things, like posting membership markers at local businesses and celebrating “Apple Day” – a publicity effort for local businesses.

Then, in 1924, a long-running annual tradeshow was instituted to serve businesses and the general public.

But other Chamber activities were even more serious and substantive. For instance, in 1928, as the local Milford Foundry Company faced a sudden business crisis, the Chamber led a rescue effort. At a mass meeting in late March they sought to secures pledges of $10,000 toward $41,000 to needed assist the company. A committee was appointed to sell bonds and by the second day of April, the drive had succeeded, keeping a local business thriving and maintaining employment.

Then, in 1934, in the depths of the Depression, the Chamber led an even more ambitious effort to support the local economy, a mainstay of which was shoe manufacturing. But business had slowed, some factories had closed, and many locals were unemployed. So, the Chamber put together a list of unemployed shoe workers and banded them into an association which they then helped to purchase, at a bargain price, an empty shoe factory. From there, they offered an essentially turnkey manufacturing facility to companies in the shoe industry that needed additional capacity or to startups, complete with trained workers.

It was an arrangement that quickly attracted a business partner stayed in place for some two decades.

Then, years later, in the 1970s and 1980s, when most of the region’s traditional industries, including both shoes and granite quarrying, had all but disappeared, the Chamber was one of the leaders in championing new development and growth, particularly under the leadership of Saul Kraft, an organizational powerhouse.

In more recent years, innovation and readiness to help have remained a hallmark of the organization. For example, about a decade ago, the Chamber joined with the Massachusetts Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives and the Retailers Association of Massachusetts to create the first group health insurance cooperative in an effort to hold down health insurance costs for participating local employers.

Today, according to its website, the Milford Area Chamber of Commerce offers a variety of high visibility marketing opportunities to help businesses of every size to build brand awareness within the MACC network and beyond. “And, as the voice of business in the 10-town area we cover, we work to ensure a vibrant economic foundation for our communities. The MACC also offers leadership and professional development opportunities for all members and their employees. Plus, the MACC provides promotional, informational and referral support to grow the business of our members.”

MACC has also provided tremendous Covid resources
as well as free website posting of gift certificates (for pandemic transitions) , setting up ecommerce stores, updating websites with delivery information, and such.

It includes a substantial number of Franklin Businesses
in its membership.

The Centennial celebration, Wednesday, Aug. 10, from 5-8 pm, will take place at the same location where the MACC celebrated their 1st Anniversary in 1923 - Grand View in Mendon. The event includes a barbecue, live music with Ricky Robidoux, silent auction, of fun games, and the 2022 Annual Business Awards will be presented. And, notes current president, Laura O’Callaghan, the theme is "The Roarin' 20s", so adventuresome attendees are encouraged to trot out their vintage clothing!

Tickets and details are available at https://www.milfordchamber.org/100-anniversary