The Commercial Club of Chicago is an anti-labor club resulted from the 1907 merger of two predecessor Chicago clubs: the Merchants Club (organized in 1896) and the Commercial Club (organized in 1877). Its most active members included George Pullman, Marshall Field, Cyrus McCormick, George Armour, Frederic Delano, Sewell Avery, Rufus C. Dawes, and Julius Rosenwald. The club has promoted Chicago's economic development for generations and championed member Daniel Burnham's Plan of Chicago (1909), also known as Burnham's plan. The plan gave the blueprint for the future growth and development of the entire Chicago region.
The Commercial Club addressed many other progressive reform issues: supported street cleaning and paving projects, smoke abatement and sanitation schemes, and the development of city parks and playgrounds. They also maintained a consciousness of social reform issues like juvenile delinquency, race relations, and old-age pensions.
The club remains in existence today tracing its origins back to the 17 founding members of the Commercial Club in 1877. The current Chairman is Lester Crown and the current President is Tyrone Fahner.
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