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Do you recognize this house? Ferndale Area Chamber searches for historic site

UPDATE:  THANKS TO THE EFFORTS OF OUR READERS, THE BUILDING HAS BEEN DISCOVERED.  UNFORTUNATELY IT IS NO LONGER AROUND.  CASTLE ON THE NINE ONCE SERVED AS AN EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY CENTER DURING THE DEPRESSION.  THANKS TO MONICA MILLS WHO FOUND THIS LINK ON THE HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S WEBSITE ABOUT 434 W. 9 MILE.  http://ferndalehistoricalsociety.org/image_map_castle_on_nine.html

(Crystal A. Proxmire, 1/23/2011)

As the Ferndale Area Chamber of Commerce begins their 75th year, Executive Director Jennifer Roosenberg is searching for clues about the organization’s past.  In particular she is searching for an historic home, presumably in Ferndale, that was the first official office of the business-advocacy group.

An article in the Ferndale Gazette shows the home as it was in 1942, with the Ferndale Board of Commerce logo on the front.  The home belonged to Harvey S. Jacobs, who was the first full-time employee of the Board.  He served as the group’s secretary, and was also the owner and publisher of The Ferndale Gazette.

The Gazette article did not give the address, and Roosenberg has been unable to find the house.  However, the picture shows that the house number was 434.

The Ferndale Area Chamber began in 1936 as the Ferndale Board of Commerce.  The name was changed sometime in the 1950s or 60s, although records have been lost over the years.  Roosenberg, who took over leadership of the Chamber in 2009, is piecing together the organization’s history.  She has found boxes of old memorabilia, none of which is organized.

If anyone recognizes the location of this home, or has any interesting historical information or items about the Chamber, please contact Jennifer Roosenberg at jennifer@ferndalechamber.com or (248) 542-2160.

Check out the Chamber’s website at www.ferndalechamber.com, and read previous business and Chamber-related stories at http://oaklandcounty115.com/category/chamber-and-business-news.