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YMCA of Metro Chicago history
YMCA of Metro Chicago company history timeline
On March 22, 1858, Chicagoans again gathered in an attempt to form a YMCA. After a series of meetings, a constitution was written and the first YMCA of Chicago was officially formed.
In 1879, a gymnasium and bath were added to the Farwell Hall YMCA as athletics grew to be a pivotal piece of the national YMCA's character and mission.
By 1881, the position of "Superintendent" had evolved in to that of "General Secretary," a position first occupied by Anson T. Hemingway.
The year he became its General Secretary, 1888, the Chicago YMCA's membership numbered 5000.
9 Young Men's Era Publishing Co.: Minutes of corporate meeting 1890
20 Bequests and gifts: Cobb, Silas R., 1895
10 Departments: Railroad: Grand Trunk: building pledges, 1898, undated
26 Bequests and gifts: Craigmile, James, 1899
By 1900 the Chicago YMCA had grown to approximately 6500 members enrolled in five general branches, five railroad departments, and 18 student associations.
16 Board of Managers: foreign work, Chicago YMCA, 1901
15 Bequests and gifts: Swift, G. F., 1904
13 Departments: Hyde Park: loan of University of Chicago, $30,000, July 1906
15 Bequests and gifts: Hubbard, Henry M., 1908
3 50th anniversary of Chicago YMCA: Life sketches of secretaries, 1908
11 Association building: Bonds: statement of bounds carried on the books, 1909
17 Departments: Sears: Sears, Roebuck & Co.: note for $11,700 cancelled, June 10, 1910; purchase of property proposal, May 24, 1910; repurchase agreement with Julius Rosenwald, May 24, 1910
1 50th anniversary: Samples of printed matter, news clippings 1910
13 Board of Managers: building measurements and other information, 1911
16 Bequests and gifts: General Endowment Fund, 1911
17 Bequests and gifts: McDonald, J. S. & Co., 1912
6 Discontinued departments: Railroad Department: Grand Trunk, 1913
6 "Report of the Committee of Five" Seldon P. Spencer, chairman, tentative draft 1913
With seed money from Sears executive Julius Rosenwald, the African American community erected a building on South Wabash Street in 1913 that served as the welcoming center for newcomers, offering temporary accommodation, job placement, and other services.
2 Departments: Hotel: Field, Marshall estate deed $500,000 loan, resolution, November 24, 1915
19 Departments: Sears: Sears, Roebuck & Co.: sale of lots 3, 4, and 5, March 1, 1916
4 Bequests and gifts: Lengacher, Oscar F., 1916
Young white migrants could find rooms at the YMCA Hotel (1916), located just south of the Loop.
Volume 55 News clippings: February-October 1917
17 Board of Managers: opinions: Internal Revenue and war tax, 1917-19
9 Bequests and gifts: Northern Trust Co., 1917
11 Finances - collateral which the YMCA offers for loans, 1917
9 Bequests and gifts: Southwell, Henry E., 1918
12 Departments: Railroad: Grand Trunk: agreement and lease, YMCA and Grand Truck, 1919
15 Board of Managers: United YMCA Schools agreement, 1920
19 Bequests and gifts: Initial Gifts: Lawndale, 1922
2 Parker, W.J. "YMCA Report on Investments" 1922
YMCA camping activities increased greatly during these years, with the first permanent YMCA camp, Camp Duncan near Volo, Illinois, opening in 1923.
12 Departments: 111th Street: building fund subscribers, 1924
12 Bequests and gifts: 111th Street Building, 1924
Volume 58 News clippings: February-August 1925
From 1925-39 the file consist of a numbered set of bulletins to executive secretaries, which includes notice of meetings as well as other memoranda from the general secretary to the secretaries of the departments.
1 Departments: Austin: building fund subscribers, 1925
3 Central YMCA College: "Resources and Standards of YMCA Colleges", 1925 (1 vol.)
22 Bequests and gifts: Initial Gifts: Near West Side, 1926
Later, this welcome center became the Wabash YMCA. Five years after its inception, the Wabash Avenue YMCA organized the first Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, which eventually led to the 1926 inauguration of Black History Month.
Volume 65 News clippings: April-August 1927
18 Bequests and gifts: City-Wide Campaign Fund, 1927
1 Board of Managers: income and expense statement, 1930
3 Bequests and funds, 1930-ca.
13 Bequests and gifts: Hoover, Frank W., 1931
20 Departments: Englewood: Elmore, Howard W. building fund subscription, 1932
Prior to 1933 these reports were filed with the reports to the Board of Managers in subseries 2.
7 Departments: Lawson: property purchase 1934
7 Bequests and gifts: Hirst, John W., 1936
17 Board of Managers: Wieboldt Foundation reports, 1938
In 1939 General Secretary William J. Parker was succeeded by Frank A. Hathaway, who had served under Parker as Associate General Secretary.
6 Report on structure and organization of YMCA, 1940
14 Bequests and gifts: Ryan, John., 1941
8 Bequests and gifts: Baldwin, Rosecrans, 1942
11 Board of Managers: statement of securities of savings plan fund, 1944
In 1945 the Chicago YMCA had 84,000 members and 23 departments.
Stotz held a variety of offices in the Chapter, beginning in 1945 with secretary-treasurer and later president and vice-president.
16 Departments: Wabash: Harris, Albert W.: corres. with William J. Parker, 1945
8 McClow correspondence 1947
9 Bequests and gifts: Division Street Department, 1948
3 Bequests and gifts: Wilson, Frank D., 1949
4 Expansion survey reports 1949
2 Reports: Expansion Survey Reports number 2 & 3, 1950
4 Bequests and gifts: Trice, Sandy W., 1951
5 Reports: Six Targets for 1951, Chicago YMCA
15 Board of Managers sections: personnel, 1954-ca.
5 Bequests and gifts: Van Cleef, Frances G., 1956
1-4 News clippings: January-June 1957
16 Centennial Events: Membership campaign 1957
4 Centennial Fund Campaign: Solicitation lists February 1958
Volume 44 100th annual meeting correspondence, tributes 1958
In 1959, the first YMCA SCUBA instructors were certified in Chicago, paving the way for dive training organizations throughout the country.
11 World Federation of Associations of Secretaries: Retirement matters, 1960-61
2 Inner City Fund Committee, 1961
7 World Federation of Associations of Secretaries: Geneva meeting, 1961
4 News clippings: 103rd annual meeting 1961
7 WIND radio program: Report on youth programs in the Soviet Union, July 12, 1962
13 Board of Managers sections: maintenance, 1962
4 World Federation of Associations of Secretaries: European conference, 1962
Another federally-funded program, J.O.B.S. (Job Opportunities through Better Skills) which began in January 1964, brought the YMCA together with the Chicago Boys Clubs and Chicago Youth Centers in cooperative efforts to offer 46-week training courses for high school drop-outs.
3 Isham 50th anniversary portfolio, 1966
6 "The Young Adult in the YMCA", 1968
When the Wabash YMCA closed its doors in 1969 due to lack of funding, Chicago's Bronzeville neighborhood lost an institution that had been a center of activity for half a century.
5-12 News clippings: April, June-December 1970
13-23 News clippings: January-November 1971
On shelf: Radio spot announcement - camping 1971 (audio disk)
15 News clippings: January-August 1974
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| Company name | Founded date | Revenue | Employee size | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kishwaukee Family YMCA | 1964 | $5.0M | 50 | - |
| North Suburban YMCA | 1968 | $9.6M | 83 | 2 |
| YMCA of Greater Omaha | 1866 | $26.5M | 750 | 65 |
| Greater Joliet YMCA | 1926 | $9.9M | 750 | - |
| YMCA of the North | 1856 | $106.8M | 1,380 | 136 |
| Hockomock Area YMCA | 1972 | $20.3M | 390 | - |
| YMCA of Greater Houston | 1886 | $124.6M | 50 | - |
| YMCA of the North Shore | 1851 | $50.0M | 3,000 | - |
| Young Mens Christian Association | 1868 | $18.6M | 1,233 | 280 |
| YMCA of Central Florida | 1942 | $58.0M | 560 | 80 |
YMCA of Metro Chicago history FAQs
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YMCA of Metro Chicago may also be known as or be related to The YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago, YMCA of Metro Chicago, Ymca Of Metropolitan Chicago, Young Men s Christian Association of Chicago, Young Men's Christian Association Of Chicago and Young Men's Christian Association of Chicago.