On August 29, 1874 businessmen of Appleton met to organize an Appleton Chamber of Commerce Association. At that meeting a constitution was drafted and officers were elected: E. G. Goff, temporary president, and J. E. Harriman, temporary secretary. The Association has been in continuous existence since that date. The Appleton Downtown Retail Association was an outgrowth of the Appleton Chamber of Commerce Association, and its records were an integral part of those of the parent organization until April 1959.
