Club History

1933

The Twin City Camera Club was founded in the fall of 1933 by six men.  The meetings were held at the St. Joseph Fire Department.

1935 – 45

Sponsor of the Blossom Festival Salon of Photography.

1937

Publication of a newsletter the “Viewfinder” was initiated.

1942

First Slide Competition.

1948

Travel & Adventure Series launched with Harold Cawthorne as Chairman.  The programs were held in the Benton Harbor High School auditorium.

1950

First Print and Slide of the Year Contests.
 

1951

Twin City Camera Club is incorporated.
 

1955

• Southwestern Michigan Council of Camera Clubs formed.
• Travel & Adventure Series expanded to two shows.

1959

Building on Elm Street purchased.

1960

Remodeling completed and the new clubhouse occupied.  Travel & Adventure Series travelogues moved to the recently constructed St. Joseph High School auditorium.

1961

LaVerne Andrews assumes Travel & Adventure Series Chairmanship.

1969

Darkroom established.

1970 

Richard Lyon assumes Travel & Adventure Series Chairmanship.

1973

Man of the Year Award established.

1974

First use of dual projectors with dissolve for Slide of the Year Show.

1975

Competition Rules changed to include Color Prints made by the member.

1981

Remodeled the building including the Meeting rooms, Black & White darkroom and added a new Color darkroom.

1983

Herbert Hein assumes Travel & Adventure Series Chairmanship.

1995

Amended the Bylaws to read “Membership in the club shall be entirely voluntary on the part of the members”.

2001

Ron Bonczkowski assumes Travel & Adventure Series Chairmanship.

2002

• New web site unveiled for Twin City Camera Club.
• Travel & Adventure Series ends after 53 years. 
• Amended the Bylaws to eliminate the Travel & Adventure Chairman position and to add two (2) at-large directors to the Board of Directors.  Membership to read: Any adult engaged in photography primarily as a hobby, avocation, or for personal pleasure shall be eligible to become a member.

2003

First issue of the “Viewfinder” delivered via e-mail and posted on Twin City Camera Club web site.

2004

The Competition Divisions were amended to include Digital Slide Competition.

2010

• The Competition Divisions were amended to exclude Film Slide Competition.
• The Twin City Camera Club Web site was awarded Third Place, Large Club category, in the 2010 PSA International Web site Competition.

2012

The Twin City Camera Club Web site was awarded First Place, Large Club category, in the 2012 PSA International Web site Competition.

2013

The Competition Divisions were amended to include Black and White Digital Slide Competition.

2016

The Twin City Camera Club Facebook group was created.

2020

• The Twin City Camera Club Board of Directors voted on April 26th. to cancel all in-club activities for the rest of the season.  The 2019 – 2020 Competition season was classified as incomplete, due to a COVID 19 pandemic in which all in-club activities were canceled starting in March of 2020, when Michigan Governor Whitmer issued an “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order.
• Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Twin City Camera Club has transitioned over to video conferencing with Zoom Meetings that allow our members to share information and photographs in real-time without being physically located together.  By using virtual meetings we are able to permit our members and invited guests to participate in a face-to-face meeting experience online.
• The Competition judging was transitioned over to Zoom Meetings to resume the Digital Slide Monthly Competitions for the membership.

What do all of these things have in common?

The board game Monopoly is invented.

The chocolate chip cookie is invented.

“The Lone Ranger” premiers on the radio.

Congress passes the first federal minimum wage law in the United States: 33 cents per hour.

Prohibition is repealed.

Century of Progress World’s Fair opens in Chicago.

Twin City Camera Club established.

They all happened in 1933