Chicago Board of Trade records Part 1
Chicago Board of Trade
Details
2002.64 linear ft
Series I: Organizational records, 1858-1999 - Subseries 1: Association records, 1858-1983; Subseries 2: Rules and regulations, 1865-1983; Subseries 3: Annual reports and statistics, 1858-1999; Subseries 4: Membership records, 1863-2005 [CLOSED]
Series II: Board of Directors records, 1871-1992 - Subseries 1: Meeting materials and correspondence, 1874-1992; Subseries 2: Bound meeting minutes, 1940-1977; Subseries 3: Amendments to rules and resolutions, 1900-1921; Subseries 4: Notices, 1962-1983
Series III: Executive Office records, 1858-2007 - Subseries 1: Presidents records, 1916-1983; Subseries 2: Secretary records, 1858-2007; Subseries 3: Treasurer records, 1866-1985, bulk 1970-1984; Subseries 4: Executive Vice President records, 1947-1986; Subseries 5: Chairman records, 1965-2002, bulk 1967-1985; Subseries 6: Assistant to the President records, 1926-1927
Series IV: Committee records, 1865-1999 - Subseries 1: Arbitration, appeals, business conduct, floor and rules committees, 1881-1984; Subseries 2: Business Conduct Committee, 1934-1983; Subseries 3: Committee rosters, 1938-1999; Subseries 4: Executive committee, 1923-1982; Subseries 5: Financial instruments committee, 1975-1984; Subseries 6: Floor committees, 1931-1984; Subseries 7: Grain Committees, 1895-1972; Subseries 8: Market report committee, 1884-1984; Subseries 9: Membership committee, 1881-1987 [CLOSED]; Subseries 10: Nominating Committee, 1923-1983; Subseries 11: Real estate and building committees, 1865-1982; Subseries 12: Rules Committee, 1925-1982; Subseries 13: Special committees, 1882-1986; Subseries 14: Transportation Committee, 1902-1983; Subseries 15: Warehouse, weighing, and custodian committees, 1866-1983; Subseries 16: Miscellaneous committees, 1892-1988 [RESTRICTED]; Subseries 17: Member Services Committee, 1968-1996 [CLOSED]
Series V: Department records, 1848-2000 - Subseries 1: Economic Analysis, 1950-1995; Subseries 2: Education, 1876-1999; Subseries 3: Public Relations, 1848-2000 [RESTRICTED]; Subseries 4: Legal, 1959-1987 [RESTRICTED]; Subseries 5: Office of Investigations and Audits, 1959-1983 [CLOSED]; Subseries 6: Market Information, 1971-1998; Subseries 7: Transportation, 1905-1984; Subseries 8: Information Systems, 1963-1987; Subseries 9: Miscellaneous departments, 1904-1985
Series VI: CBOT Affiliates, 1865-1998 - Subseries 1: Board of Trade Clearing House records, 1885-1977; Subseries 2: Safe Deposit Box Co. records, 1865-1971; Subseries 3: Cleveland Telegraph Co. records, 1900-1965; Subseries 4: Chicago Board Options Exchange, 1967-1998 [bulk: 1967-1971]; Subseries 5: Grain Exchange Institute, 1938-1970; Subseries 6: Chicago Cash Grain Merchants, 1926-1972; Subseries 7: Council of North American Grain Exchanges, 1909-1918; Subseries 8: Grain Dealers of North America, 1906-1914; Subseries 9: Freight Bureau, 1898-1900; Subseries 10: National Transportation Association, 1890-1891; Subseries 11: Mutual Trade Association, 1892-1921; Subseries 12: Signal Corp School, ca. 1916-1919; Subseries 13: Stock Exchange, 1872-1889; Subseries 14: World's Congress Auxiliary, 1893; Subseries 15: Union Stockyard, 1865-1926; Subseries 16: Chamber of Commerce, 1908-1922 [bulk: 1912]; Subseries 17: Securities and Exchange Commission, 1961-1972; Subseries 18: Warehouse Corporation, 1927-1936; Subseries 19: Midwest Stock Exchange, 1960
Series VII: Publications, 1846-1999 - Subseries 1: Newsclippings, 1882-1990; Subseries 2: Pamphlets, 1846-1999; Subseries 3: Government publications, 1894-1991; Subseries 4: Miscellaneous publications, 1864-1985; Subseries 5: Posters and Advertisements, 1934-1989; Subseries 6: Bound volumes, 1885-1991
Series VIII: Microfilm, 1858-1985
The records of the early presidents of the Chicago Board of Trade are grouped together in Series III due to the lack of comprehensive records from the period They have been arranged chronologically and to the box level
1849-2000
This collection contains materials generated primarily by the Chicago Board of Trade. These materials document the history of futures trading in Chicago, the people who founded it, some of its day-to-day operations, and its planning, construction, and development. The collection also contains materials related to the Chicago Board of Trade's executive officers and members; committee and departmental activities; its rules, by-laws, and regulations; and statistical information. The materials include correspondence, reports, ledgers, meeting minutes, legal briefs, court dockets, rulebooks, visual materials, financial records, press clips, publications, transcripts, contracts, rulings and resolutions, statistics, and other documents
The Chicago Board of Trade (also CBOT, CBT) was founded on April 3, 1848 by 82 Chicago merchants and business leaders in a flour store attic, and continues today as the world's oldest commodities exchange. The Board of Trade has been entwined with Chicago politics from its inception; seven of the first 20 mayors of Chicago were founding members. The actions of the founding members not only solidified the infrastructure of Chicago and launched commodity trading in America, it also set precedents for developing trading practices and relationships with boards of trade and chambers of commerce around the US and internationally
The exchange was initially formed to help structure the grain trade in the Midwest. Before the Board of Trade's formation, the market for grain was extremely unstable with prices high in the winter and low in the summer, resulting in poor economic conditions for farmers. The early Board of Trade helped to create stable economic conditions for regional farmers and also worked to create standards and grades for various grains along with inspection processes to help ensure buyers received the goods for which they had paid
In 1859 the Illinois legislature granted the Chicago Board of Trade a charter allowing self-regulation. The Board of Directors, together with the President and Vice Presidents, governed the Association and controlled and managed its property and business. The Chairman of the Board presided over all Association and Board meetings. The established organization of the Board of Trade in its early years was mostly maintained over time with frequent revisions to rules and additions and subtractions to the organization based upon the economic, political, and technological climate at the time
By 1865 the CBOT had moved into the Chicago Chamber of Commerce Building and had about 150 members. Previously, the Board of Trade was at the Newhouse building on South Water Street, where it had relocated in 1860. The Board of Trade has operated out of their current building since 1930. Designed by Holabird & Root, the art deco building was the tallest in Chicago until 1965. Atop the building is a 31-foot sculpture of Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture. The 45-story building, now a National Historic Landmark, is located at 141 West Jackson Boulevard
With the launch of GLOBEX in 1992, trading became electronic. Trading had been previously conducted by open outcry, a system whereupon traders and brokers in the pit would shout out their bids and offers. This practice was accompanied by a distinctive system of hand symbols. Electronic trading continued to grow, and currently the majority of trading is done electronically
Some exchanges & organizations have become subsidiaries of CBOT, notably the MidAmerica Commodity Exchange in 1986. In 2007, the Board of Trade merged with the Chicago Mercantile Exchange to become CME Group. The New York Mercantile Exchange was acquired by CME Group in 2008. In 2012, CME Group bought the Kansas City Board of Trade
Due to the size of this collection, separate finding aids have been created by series or sub-series. These finding aids can be viewed from the collection introduction page, which is accessible from this record
Items in this collection are restricted until fifty (50) years after the date of creation. Please consult the complete finding aid for information on specific folders in that sub-series and their status
Chicago Board of Trade records, part 1, Special Collections and University Archives, University of Illinois at Chicago
The CME Group records were processed and preserved with generous support from CME Group
Finding aids available
Related Resources
Finding aids online:
http://library.uic.edu/collections/manuscripts-and-rare-books/cme-group
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WorldCat.