xxxBabcock Co-op House, named after agriculture professor Stephen Babcock, founded at 120 N. Lake St.
1943:
- Grove's Co-op House, named after ag-econ professor and state senator Dr. Harold Groves, founded at 150 Langdon. First women's co-op in Madison.
1946:
- Green Lantern Eating Co-op moves into the basement of Grove's, then at 625 N. Henry, to serve meals to the community.
1950:
- Rochdale Co-op formed at 215 N. Mills by members of the Green Lantern.
- Religious groups go co-op: Channing-Murray Foundation forms a men's coop while Wayland Foundation forms a men's and a women's co-op in neighboring houses.
1951:
- Green Lantern burns its membership files, fearing they might be subpoenaed by Joe McCarthy!!
1961:
- Univ. of Wisconsin builds four dorms, and rents them to four separate University organized and supervised co-ops: Zoe Bayliss, Susan Davis, Henry Rust, and David Schreiner.
1966:
- A group of students approach the local Society of Friends (Quakers) and ask their cosponsorship of first co-ed co-op. Friends Campus Center is founded at 317 N. Brooks.
1967:
- A second Friend's Co-op is rented at 437 W. Johnson.
- Orville Hanson rents 315 N. Murray, subleases to International Co-op. When they find out he is taking a profit, they get angry and set out to find their own house.
1968:
- International Co-op rents 140 W. Gilman with an option to purchase.
- City of Madison buys land under Channing-Murray Co-op and Brooks St. Friends' Campus Center.
- Inspired by a North American Students of Cooperation (NASCO) conference, on December 10, eight representatives of local co-ops incorporate the Madison Association of Student Cooperatives! (MASC) Yay!
1969:
- Refugees from Brooks St. Friends Campus Center found Resistance House at 211 Langdon St.
- MASC organizes a UW course on cooperatives.
- MASC leases 225 Lakelawn Place for Stone Manor Co-op. Stone Manor becomes Martha's Co-op and houses 55 members!
- International Co-op buys its house.
- Ex-University co-op members form Le Chateau co-op at 636 Langdon.
- Mifflin Co-op offers discount for welfare recipients.
1970:
- MASC buys 225 Lakelawn place for Stone Manor Co-op.
- Summit Avenue Co-op is founded at 1820 Summit Avenue. - Web Link
- TAA strikes for first UW-Madison contract.
- Nature's Bakery opens at 1101 Williamson.
1971:
- MASC organizes conference attended by 100 people -- topics include business, politics, and pleasant conversation.
- Nottingham Co-op founded at 146 Langdon St. - Web Link
- Marvin Gardens Co-op founded at 222 Lakelawn Pl, but lost to another buyer. Same thing happens at 22 Langdon St.
- Zoe Bayliss Co-op petitions Madison City Council to create Walden Park.
- Sunflower Kitchen Co-op opens at 306 N. Brooks.
- Brindlewood Crafts Co-op founded at 426 W. Gilman.
- Kibbutz Langdon Co-op opens in Madison.
- MASC, in the midst of restructuring, changes its name to MCC -- Madison Community Cooperative.
1972:
- 22 Langdon torn down for a 72-unit apartment building. Boo.
- Solveig Co-op founded at 120 W. Gorham.
- Nottingham and Summit Co-ops buy their houses.
- Kibbutz Langdon at 142 Langdon going strong in its second year.
- Madison's Community Pharmacy Opens
- Summit Co-op buys old Alpha Gamma Rho house for $70,000.
- Over 350 people from US and Canada attend MCC-hosted Midwest Co-op Conference.
- First Madison Co-op fair held in August.
- Members of Friends Campus Center and 22 Langdon move into 622 N. Henry St.
1973:
- MCC has TEN member houses! 240 Langdon, Nottingham, Summit, Stone Manor, Le Chateau, Groves, Badger Photo, Solveig, Lothlorien. MCC starts Yahara Linden. This is a time of high organizational energy. A tool lending library is established. Many programs and workshops are well attended. Co-op bus purchase is considered, but rejected as "insane." Withholding of war tax on phone bill threatens tax exemption application. Chavurah started, asks MCC to buy 127 W. Gilman.
- Organizers of the new Willy St. Co-op meet at 1101 Williamson. Willy Street Co-op established.
- Lothlorien Co-op starts with $10,000 down.
1974:
- IRS denies tax-exempt status! Board decides to hire staff at $200/month, with a maintenance person for occasional repairs at $2.50/hour! Discussion of requiring monthly financial statements from houses tabled.
- Isaiah 5:8 Committee holds anti-slumlord block party, outside 636 Langdon (Phoenix Co-op).
- Landlord Korb buys 636 Langdon because MCC is "not organized." Landlord Korb and fraternity back down after occupation of Le Chateau. MCC Board votes unanimously to buy 636 Langdon. MCC buys Le Chateau for $20,000 down.
- MCC purchases 240 Langdon.
1975:
- Board votes not to buy Solveig unless members there are interested. All houses flunk insurance inspection. Melting Snow Co-op, 508 S. Baldwin, joins MCC. Board votes to dissolve its lease with Stone Manor, effective in fall. Institute for Mundane Studies, 622 N. Henry, asks MCC to take over their house. Toad Lane Co-op established at 622 N. Henry. Badger Photo Co-op drops out of MCC. SMOOSH forms: Stone Manor Organization to Save the House!!
- Nature's Bakery moves to 1019 Williamson.
1976:
- Martha's (formerly Stone Manor) starts with eight members. Rochdale leaves MCC. MCC Board votes to put Le Chateau on the market and accepts an offer. Toad Lane retracts offer to be an MCC-owned house. Friend's Co-op joins MCC as an unowned house. Board mandates that each owned house must place 8% of gross annual income into an MCC major maintenance account. Le Chateau has 25% vacancies. International Co-op joins MCC as an unowned house. Membership adopts first annual budget of $125,636.
1977:
- Tralfamadore requests financial assistance. Board approves volunteer system-- including 24 hours per month per house on maintenance, education, and finance committees, and in the MCC office. Rivendell Co-op formed at 622 N. Henry (currently the purple house). Negotiating committee formed to keep Kibbutz Langdon a co-op-- balloon land contract payment due soon.
- International Co-op members lead protest against wet t-shirt night at Madison's El Tejon bar.
1978:
- Project Phoenix instituted to save 240 Langdon from collapse. Anon Co-op joins MCC as a non-owned house.
- Madison Book Co-op closes with $20,000 debt. MCC office moves to new location at 254 W. Gilman St. in the offices of the defunct Madison Book Co-op.
1979:
- Yellow Jersey Co-op sells bike store to workers for a pittance. After lengthy discussion over nuclear power and other issues, Board renews membership in the Wisconsin Federation of Cooperatives. MCC buys Friend's Co-op.
1980:
- Red Pine and Badger Co-op join MCC as Class B members. Nottingham becomes a Class B member. 946 Spaight St. purchase approved, then reversed by referendum.
- Groves Co-op joins as a Class B member, then purchased by MCC for $31,000. Grove's Co-op was later Mulberry, then Hypatia. - Web Link
1981:
- Madison's Lakeside Press born. - Web Link
1982:
- MCC office moves to the "U-Y" building, 306 N. Brooks St.
- Lakeside Press joins the Industrial Workers' of the World
1983:
- Community Pharmacy moves to present location on Madison's State Street.
1989:
- Nature's Bakery becomes collective. - Web Link
1990:
- Lakeside Press becomes a co-op.
1991:
- Community Pharmacy becomes a co-op.
1993:
- Mulberry Co-op renamed Hypatia.
1995:
- MCC goes on the web.... Le Chateau becomes Meridian.... Thoughts of expansion are in the air...
1996:
- At a General Membership Meeting, we decide to buy a new house at 625 Francis Street.
- Whole Earth Co-op closes in Madison.
- Emma Goldman Co-op established. - Web Link
1997:
- Nature's Bakery unceremoniously kicked out of Farmers Market.
- Students occupy Regents Meeting over UW investments.
1998:
- Madison Hours celebrates its second birthday.
- Cafe Assisi reopens as a collective.
- Cafe Assisi's Peace Park picnic.
2000:
- Yellow Jersey Bike Co-op Formed.
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