History

Illinois Movers’ and Warehousemen’s Association, incorporated in its present name in 1958, is the statewide not-for-profit trade association for moving and storage companies licensed to do business in Illinois.

95% of all the licensed movers in Illinois are members of this association. We have been publishing information on the Internet since 1997, both for those needing the services of our membership and for our members.

The Illinois Movers' Association is more than 100 years old! Historically, the Illinois movers have been incorporated continuously since 1906 under several different names, including:

  • Illinois Furniture Warehousemen’s Association,
  • Illinois Warehousemen’s Association,
  • Central Warehousemen’s Association.

The Illinois Movers Tariff Bureau is a sister organization, incorporated in 1953; and our current association name, Illinois Movers’ and Warehousemen’s Association, was officially recorded with the Secretary of State in 1958. The Movers Association of Greater Chicago started as a chapter of our association, then spun off on its own for many years before being reunited with IMAWA in the early 1990′s.

While the organization officially started in 1906, our membership records date back to 1953, when the Illinois Movers Tariff Bureau was organized in response to new state regulations. Today, 44% of our members have belonged to IMAWA for at least 25 years; and 22 of those members joined in 1953 as charter members of the Bureau.

1918 Furniture Piano Movers

1922 Harvest Dinner IFWA

1925 The Warehousemen banquet

NFWA semiannual banquet 1926