| The focal point of downtown Los Angeles is the | | | | South. During the two-year tour, more than a million |
| Financial District, situated near to the construction at | | | | people viewed the exhibit and took home products |
| Bunker Hill. The district is mostly comprised of | | | | offered by the Chamber. |
| corporate office skyscrapers, hotels, banks, law firms, | | | | The group also assisted in boosting grassroots |
| and real estate companies. | | | | investments in some important manufacturing |
| On of the most notable groups historically involved in | | | | businesses. The beet sugar industry profited from |
| bringing investment to the city is the LA Chamber of | | | | advancements in energy sources that helped its |
| Commerce, which is supported by over 1,600 local | | | | growth. Among these advancements was the |
| businesses. By promoting local businesses, the | | | | discovery of oil and the new utilization of electric |
| Chamber's main goal is to increase investment to the | | | | power generated from water. The Chamber also |
| city and surrounding region. It prides itself on advocating | | | | brought aircraft manufacturing to the region in 1920 by |
| for economic growth, prosperity and quality of life. | | | | supporting international air meets at the local |
| In its early days, the group promoted the West Coast | | | | Dominguez airfield. The region's livestock market got a |
| region's many opportunities in the agriculture and | | | | boost when the Chamber helped to construct the |
| international trade industries. As the city developed into | | | | Central Manufacturing District, serviced by the LA |
| a major metropolitan area, the Chamber turned its | | | | Junction Railway. |
| focus to civic and political activities, involving trade, | | | | In the aftermath of the Second World War, the |
| education, transportation and advocacy. | | | | Chamber turned from being an organization that tried |
| At that time the organization had two major | | | | to attract new business to Los Angeles to one that |
| objectives: to stimulate migration to the region and to | | | | began to address modern issues associated with a |
| broadcast its products. They attempted to woo | | | | large industrial area. The organization moved from a |
| Midwestern farmers to LA because of their | | | | county-sponsored group to a private business |
| demonstrated expertise in that field. To satisfy the | | | | organization financially supported only by its members. |
| second goal, the Chamber embarked on an ambitious | | | | Moving into the modern era, the Chamber took on the |
| 'California on Wheels' expedition, which consisted of a | | | | name of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of |
| railroad car filled with the state's agricultural products, | | | | Commerce. |
| and visited every major town in the Midwest and | | | | |