Following the subdivision of the Rancho Novato Land Grant, new businesses and families began flocking to Novato. It was soon evident that the community needed some sort of civic organization to oversee improvements and leadership roles--the Chamber was founded to meet that need.

On August 5, 1915, the Novato Chamber was founded to lead the region. 

One of the first things the Chamber did for Novato was come out against a proposed road that would have gone through the Ignacio marshlands.

The Novato Chamber recommended an alternative that would eventually be adopted by the State Highway Commission as California Route 37

Today the Novato Chamber still overseas decisions made regarding CA-37. They are a critical player in the improvements and disaster control for the aging roadway. 

Roads are directly linked to trade. Railroads and roads in the days of unincorporated Novato were planned by the Chamber of Commerce. 

Today the Novato Chamber still overseas decisions made regarding CA-37. They are a critical player in the improvements and disaster control for the aging roadway. 

The Chamber brought the FIRST paved roads, sidewalks and curbs to Novato. They secured funding from the County of Marin and placed them on Machin Avenue

This was no easy accomplishment as there was substantial resistance at the County to invest any money in the Novato community--mostly due to its isolation from other communities in the southern part of the county.

With the founding of Novato (January 1960) the Chamber was one of the FIRST and MOST DEDICATED groups to help the town grow and thrive. Within a year the Chamber was publicizing materials to help connect the newly formed city with the pre-existing municipal districts (which are still around today). The Chamber was instrumental in the creation of the City of Novato.

While many Chambers are strictly about Business, the Novato Chamber has a long legacy of placing a high value on the needs of the residents. Throughout the 1920s  through incorporation and even to this day, the Chamber has supporting housing projects like the one shown here by the developer, Paladini in West Novato.

This was no easy accomplishment as there was substantial resistance at the County to invest any money in the Novato community--mostly due to its isolation from other communities in the southern part of the county.

The first leaders of the Chamber were originally from established communities on the East Coast--they were used to modern conveniences like plumbing and sewers. 

The Novato Chamber worked sand lobbied to get the first sewers in town and would eventually help organize the creation of the Novato Sanitary District.

The Chamber leaders knew about Novato's important location at the crossroads of the North Bay Counties. The Novato Chamber led paving projects and lobbying efforts that would bring more railroad traffic, a new depot, and paved roads to help get prized Novato Agriculture out to the local and international markets.

The Chamber led the efforts to submit the first masterplans for the region. These plans were eventually accepted by the County Planning Commission, the Chamber would use this to later push for the town's incorporation. 

In an effort to preserve the flood-control that the marshlands offered, the Chamber also led the first efforts to eradicate urban mosquitoes and earwig populations.

Eventually, this would lead to the creation of the Sonoma Marin Mosquito Vector District--a critical resource in preventing the spread of mosquitoes and mosquito-borne illnesses like zeka and West Nile virus. 

The Great Depression hit the Novato community hard. To cope with the massive homelessness, the Chamber and its businesses paid for over a dozen railcars that would serve as temporary housing while the town recovered.

The Chamber also led several small scale building projects to help get people back to work including the partial paving of Redwood Blvd and Grant Avenue.

Eventually, this would lead to the creation of the Sonoma Marin Mosquito Vector District--a critical resource in preventing the spread of mosquitoes and mosquito-borne illnesses like zeka and West Nile virus. 

As one of the only Marin Communities without a local ferry, Novato became one of the few strongholds of support for the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge. Efforts to raise the bond money were headed up by the local Chamber of Commerce.