n November of 1927, a group from the local business community in Jasper, Texas came together to form a private corporation to be known as the Jasper Chamber of Commerce. The purpose, then, for which it was formed was to “acquire, preserve and disseminate valuable business information, and generally to promote the interest of trade, and increase the facilities of commercial transactions in the City of Jasper, County of Jasper, State of Texas and in the trades territory adjacent thereto.” Much has changed since 1927 but the organization's original intent remains fully intact.
After the largest lake in Texas, Sam Rayburn Reservoir, was impounded in the mid-1960's and vibrant business and residential communities were established along its southern end (only 9 miles from downtown Jasper) our organization widened its focus and changed the name to the Jasper – Lake Sam Rayburn Area Chamber of Commerce. Today this vital, active Chamber of Commerce considers a trade area from Brookeland to Kirbyville (north and south) and the Newton and Tyler County lines (east to west).
Along the way, the Jasper – Lake Sam Rayburn Chamber of Commerce has refined our stated purpose into this Mission Statement:
The mission of the Jasper-Lake Sam Rayburn Area Chamber of Commerce shall be to promote the economic growth, civic and social welfare of the Jasper and Lake Sam Rayburn Area, and to advertise the advantages, expand and develop the resources of the community.
