When i first entered the hobby their were no rules for shows. We had mainly bottle shows with a small mix of insulators. Later we had insulator shows at school gyms and whatever building could be rented affordingly. Their was a need for some uniformity in the hobby. On July 7, 1973 at Hutchinson, Kansas the NIA was established.I was there. The show was sponsored by Tom Wolfe and George Phillips. It was a great show with about 150 tables. Don and Dora Harned and Jim Garrity had tables there. Some of the Big names in our hobby were their such as Gerald and Esta Brown, Warren Olson, Rod Wing,Dick Augustyn, Ernie Rostock, N.R Woodward, Larry Veneziano, and many more. What a show we had. Below you will find listed the first 50 members who joined the NIA. Some are deceased and some no longer active in the hobby. Myself i dropped out in the late 70's but i recently started again. Prices have really taken off from those early days. Did you know any of the pioneers of our hobby? We're fortunate that "36" of them are still with us 

 			NIA THe First 50

 1. Warren Olson         Denison, IA                (Kansas)
 2A. Ernie Rostock        Pendleton, OR
 3. Larry Harmon         Wentzville, MO
 4Dd. Frederick Griffin     Palatka, FL
 5A. Rod Wing                Garden City, MI
 6N. Charles Wm. Henry      Bakersfield, CA
 7. Stephen Freedman       Wallingford, CT    	    (Florida)
 8A. Lucy Wing                Garden City, MI
 9Dd. Ted Fedderson        Denison, IA
 10. Al Leslie                 Hutchinson, KS
 11. Mary Leslie            Hutchinson, KS
 12Dd. James Branstetter    Eureka, KS
 13Dd. Jack Tod                    Phoenix, AZ
 14Dd. Bessie Branstetter   Eureka, KS
 15A. Chris Hedges         Kansas City, MO
 16. Jesse Moreland           Colorado Springs, CO
 17. Wilma Moreland         Same
 18Dd. Rip West                    Kingman, AZ
 19. Richard Daugherty      Las Vegas, NV
 20. Ed Hutchens                Salem, MO
 21. Rodger M Shepherd     Springfield, OH
 22.  NEVER ISSUED
 23Dd. Forrest Jones               New Carlisle, OH
 24N. Henry Lyon                    Springfield,OH
 25. Robert Howard        Casper, WY
 26A. William Kemp            South El Monte,CA
 27Dd. J Paul Kelly                South Bend, IN
 28Dd. Nell Kelly             South Bend, IN
 29A. Maury G. Tasem          El Cajon, CA
 30. Addie Tasem          El Cajon, CA
 31A. Donald Fabbi               Las Vegas, NV
 32A. Barbara Fabbi             Las Vegas, NV
 33A. Roberta McHenry        Bettendorf, IA         (Estes Park, CO)
 34A. W Dennis McHenry     Bettendorf, IA           (Estes Park, CO)
 35A. Lawrence Carpenter   Cheyenne, WY
 36Dd. Robert W Brown          Casper, WY
 37. Merwyn Valentine        Hastings, NB
 38Dd. Marion Milholland        Sequin, WA
 39Dd. Evelyn Milholland         Sequin, WA
 40. Robert Gilbert               Frankfort, KY
 41A. Elton Gish                     Port Neches, TX    (Buna, TX)
 42N. Lynda Gish                   Port Neches, TX
 43. Don Magnuson            Alliance, NB
 44. Jim Garrity                    Paxinos, PA
 45A. Vernon Russell             Galion, OH
 46. Marlin Glascow            Ormond Beach, FL  Tennessee
 47A. Don Harned                  Chico, CA
 48Dd. Dora Harned                Chico, CA
 49. Delmer Hybertson          Centerville, SD
 50. Eugene Burger            Indianapolis, IN

 Legend
 A following the letter indicates still collecting.
 Dd following the letter indicates Deceased
 N following the letter indicates No Longer Collects
 (city, state) means moved new location.

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