About Us
The Hempstead Chamber of Commerce consists of businesses small and large. It provides a powerful voice for the people who believe in Hempstead and wish to see it fulfill all of its possibilities. Operating with an independently funded budget, the Chamber takes full advantage of a small support staff coupled with the ideas and energy provided by its many volunteers .Working in committees, its members are active in many projects, such as Hempstead 's 350th Birthday in 1993.This festival may be the greatest gift yet given to Hempstead: it casts a look back on Hempstead's glorious past while signaling a rebirth for Hempstead's fortunes for the years to come. The Chamber has sponsored a Health Fair, a Summer Youth Employment Program, Scholarship Awards, a Little League Team, as well as Marketing Programs and an Annual Awards Dinner.
The Chamber serves as a liaison between our community, business and government, while offering real solutions to Hempstead's problems. But the Chamber can only be successful in this regard if it is used as the resource it can truly be. The Chamber needs you ,because together we can make the difference. Without your Business and Businesses like yours the Chamber would not exist.
The Chamber believes that with your diligence, hard work, and most importantly, the support of the business community, Hempstead will continue to be the "HUB" of Long Island.
History:
The original Hempstead Chamber of Commerce was chartered in 1902. It had 200 members and met at the Inn of Arthur “Pop” Turner on Centre Street. It was very active until World War I when many of its members joined the armed forces. Some time after the War, it was discovered that the old charter was still in existence and could only be dissolved by reorganization followed by Board Resolution. It is likely that the original charter still exists
The Chamber has gone through many changes since the early days, including the incorporation of the Hempstead/West Hempstead Chamber of Commerce in 1931, and the eventual severance of Hempstead from the joint Chamber. Nevertheless, the Hempstead Chamber has functioned more or less continuously for a Century. During the 1940s the Chamber was highly visible and became politically involved. It has now functioned without interruption since 1966.
The archives of The Sentinel, a Hempstead newspaper feature many references to the work and specifically publications of the Chamber. In 1939 the Chamber’s monthly booklet, ”Hub-Hi-Lites” featured one of the few authentic histories of the Village which was founded in 1644 and incorporated in 1852/3 and was the first community in Nassau County to do so. From time to time the Chamber published Guides to the Village of Hempstead which included commercial area Brochures.
The Chamber is headquartered in the “old Willets house” which dates from the late 1700s or early 1800s. The structure originally stood at 12 North Franklin Street. It was acquired by the Lord Stirling Chapter of the DAR and moved to Denton Green, the village park. After restoration, the building was dedicated as the DAR Chapter House and Museum. Subsequently it was deeded to the Village which still owns it and assigned the address of 1776 Denton Green. It has served as the Chamber of Commerce headquarters for most of the time since then.