Early Lansing (1830s–1850s):
Lansing began as a speculative settlement called Biddle City, plotted in 1835–1836 by two brothers from New York. Located in the area that is now REO Town, the brothers basically scammed a group of 16 men into buying plots on land that had nothing more than trees and low flood plains. Some of the men stayed, moved slightly north and formed Lansing Township, named after their New York hometown. In 1847, it was chosen as Michigan's new state capital. By 1859, the area with a population of roughly 3000 people, consisted of three growing settlements (now Old Town, REO Town, and downtown) and officially unified as Lansing in 1848.

 

Business Growth (1850s–1890s):
Lansing's business sector blossomed in the 1850s with developments like the Thoman Milling Company, the E. Bement & Sons foundry, and later, the Lansing Wheelbarrow Company, Lansing Wagon Works, Michigan Condensed Milk Co., Michigan Millers Insurance Company, and the Michigan Wheel Company. Key figures like Frederick Thoman, C.B. Stebbins, E.W. Sparrow, W.K. Prudden led the industrial surge. The arrival of railroads and a new state capitol in 1878 accelerated growth. In 1897, Ransom E. Olds drove his first car on Lansing streets and founded the Olds Motor Vehicle Company that same year, starting the long relationship between Lansing and the auto industry.

 

Improvement Associations (1870s–1900s):
The first Lansing Improvement Association formed in the 1870s under John J. Bush and E.W. Sparrow to attract businesses but soon became inactive. The second association, founded in 1892, raised $10,000 to promote Lansing’s economic development. It eventually merged with the Lansing Business Men’s Association (LBMA) in 1906.

 

Lansing Business Men’s Association (1901–1912):
The LBMA was a powerful engine of industrial development, successfully luring R.E. Olds’ automotive company back from Detroit, attracting many other businesses and catapulting Lansing into one of the leading industrial centers in the United States. It was instrumental in creating infrastructure like roads, including the first hard surface road between Lansing and Michigan State Agricultural College, and promoting industry relocations through land deals and incentives.

 

Formation of the Lansing Chamber of Commerce (1912):
In 1912, the LBMA officially became the Lansing Chamber of Commerce. R.E. Olds, J.H. Moores, W.K. Prudden, Fred Hopkins, J. Edward Roe and O.A. Jenison, helped lead the transition and called the Chamber’s first meeting to order on January 15, 1912.

 

1912–1960s:
Over the decades that followed, the Lansing Chamber was always in the forefront of business advocacy and creation. Among the highlights in these early years was the creation of what is now the Capital Region International Airport in the 1920s, management of the Prudden Auditorium, and approval/oversight on the construction of the Federal Building in downtown Lansing in the 1930s. During WWII, the Chamber supported war efforts by encouraging and assisting businesses in the conversion to war time production and infrastructure and safety initiatives. In 1955, it moved to the Civic Center and changed its name to the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Lansing. In 1968, the Chamber absorbed the Downtown Business Association, reflecting the growing diversity in Lansing’s economy (e.g., healthcare, education, insurance).

 

1970-2000s:
Renamed the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce in 1975, the organization emphasized regional economic development. It absorbed the Lansing Metropolitan Development Authority in 1980. In 1983, through the efforts of Martha Mertz, the Chamber founded the Athena Award, an international program to honor women leaders. It also played a role in bringing the LPGA’s Oldsmobile Classic to Lansing in 1992.

 

Today:
In the 2000s, the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce (LRCC) played a pivotal role in supporting economic development, advocating for regional infrastructure improvements, and fostering business growth in the Greater Lansing area. In the early 2000’s, the LRCC was actively involved in the discussions surrounding the Capitol Loop project, collaborated with the Capital Region Airport Authority to form the Mid-Michigan Business Travel Coalition, and established the Celebration of Regional Growth Awards to annually recognize companies that made significant investments in the region.

In the 2020’s, the Chamber played a crucial role in supporting local businesses and coordinating regional efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, through the Relaunch Greater Lansing Task Force, partnerships with regional health departments, and advocacy for a safe economic restart from the pandemic lock-downs.

With over a century of history, the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce continues to be a central advocate for business, innovation, and economic growth in the Greater Lansing region.