Peary Arctic Club

The Peary Arctic Club was an American-based club with the goal of promoting the Arctic expeditions of Robert Peary (1856 - 1920).[1]

Roosevelt in the Hudson–Fulton parade in 1909
Peary flag flown on SS Roosevelt
Peary Arctic Club Exhibit ca 1918.

This association of influential persons was able to overcome the opposition of the U.S. Navy Department to grant the indispensable five–year leave for Peary's 1898 Arctic expedition.[2]

History

The Peary Arctic Club was founded in New York City in 1898 by a group of wealthy New York people. Its members were friends of Peary.[3] The idea of establishing the club had been put forward by Morris K. Jesup in the spring 1897. One year after the foundation, Morris Jesup was elected in 1899 as the first President of the club. Henry W. Cannon became treasurer, Herbert Bridgman secretary[4] and Frederick E. Hyde vice-president. Judge Charles P. Daly, President of the American Geographical Society was elected to the executive committee of the club.[5]

In 1904 the club was able to raise funds to buy Peary a ship for his expeditions, the SS Roosevelt.[6] The club's fundraising included generous gifts of $50,000 from George Crocker, the youngest son of banker Charles Crocker, and $25,000 from Morris K. Jesup.[7]

Following Morris Jesup's death in 1908, Thomas Hubbard was named President of the club and Zenas Crane was given the post of vice-president.[8] The club was extinguished after Peary's death in 1920.

Prominent members

Honors

A number of geographic features in Greenland and Canada were named after members of the club, including:

Bibliography

References
  1. Peary Arctic Club Expedition to the North Pole, 1908-9
  2. Robert Edwin Peary Encyclopedia Arctica 15: Biographies
  3. The Peary Arctic Club - Bowdoin College
  4. The New York Times, Relief Expedition of the Peary Arctic Club, June 23, 1901
  5. R. E. Peary, Report of RE Peary, CE, USN, on Work Done in the Arctic in 1898-1902, 1903 - JSTOR
  6. Shona Grimbly (ed.), Atlas of Exploration, p. 224
  7. "Peary Gets $50,000; M.K. Jesup Gives $25,000". New York Times. July 13, 1905. p. 7.
  8. Bruce Henderson, True North: Peary, Cook, and the Race to the Pole, p. 189
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