Celebrating 70 Years

Current Members Who Joined in 1952

• TDS, Joined 1/4/1952

• Gunderson West Funeral Home, Joined 2/1/1952

• Middleton Times Tribune, Joined 3/1/1952

• Springs Window Fashions, Joined 3/1/1952

  • “Springs Window Fashions is proud to have been part of the Middleton community for more than 75 years and a member of the Chamber.  We appreciate everything the Chamber does to support businesses like ours in the area.”    - John Weinstock,  EVP Marketing

• Madison Gas and Electric Company, Joined 4/1/1952
  • "As the “community energy company” MGE appreciates the 70 year relationship between the Chamber, its members and the Middleton community since the very beginning of the Chamber’s existence!”    - Pam Christenson, Director - Business & Economic Development, Madison Gas and Electric

• The Bruce Company, Joined 6/1/1952

• Middleton Ford, Joined 6/1/1952

My dad, Richard Carlson and his father Ernest Carlson cut and installed the stone on the outside of the Chamber building back in the 1950s. My parents lived in the apartment in the back of the building when I was born (in 1957). There was a Red Wing shoe store in the main part of the building. My mom made lunch for Roy, the owner of the shoe store and passed it through a small sliding window above our kitchen sink. I can remember this vividly even though I was a toddler.

My dad passed away at age 91 on December 15, 2021 and the celebration of his life was held across the street at Gunderson. As I left Gunderson that day, I stood in their parking lot looking over at the Chamber building thinking about what an enormous job cutting and installing all of the stone must have been. And what an impact both my dad and grandad made on Middleton as they were both volunteer firefighters, grandpa was the last constable of Middleton before they switched to a police chief position, and he worked for the water utility in Middleton for many years. My grandma ran a small café called the Blue Room across the street and two house down from the Chamber in the 1940’s. The café was so popular she had to close it down as she couldn’t keep up with the baking, taking care of her son, husband and household.

- Shared by Jill Carlson

Chamber History

Statement of Purpose

Previous Chamber Logos

                1980's                                                                       1990's