Rocky Mountain Club

Infobox Organization
name = Rocky Mountain Club


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formation = 1907
extinction = 1928
type = Service club
headquarters = New York, New York
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Motto = Eastern Home of Western Men.
purpose = To create good-fellowship among the members and advance the interests of the Rock Mountain States
membership =
language = English
leader_title = President
leader_name = John Hays Hammond
key_people = Directors: W. B. Thompson, A. J. Seligman, John Campbell Cory, B. B. Taylor, Frederick Russell Burnham, and J. J. McEvelly. Theodore Roosevelt was a prominent member.
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website = The Rocky Mountain Club was incorporated in New York City as an "Eastern Home of Western Men." with the purpose to: "to create good-fellowship among the members and advance the interests of the Rock Mountain States."
John Hays Hammond, was the first and only President. The original directors were: W. B. Thompson, A. J. Seligman, John Campbell Cory, B. B. Taylor, Frederick Russell Burnham, and J. J. McEvelly. Theodore Roosevelt was a prominent member.

Key dates in the history of the club include:
* January 20, 1907 - incorporatedcite journal |last= |first=|authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1907|month=January 20 |title=A Rocky Mountain Club Incorporates|journal=New York Times |volume= |issue= |pages=9 |id= |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=950CE1D9153EE033A25753C2A9679C946697D6CF |accessdate=2008-05-27 |quote= ]
* November 1, 1907 - Hotel Knickerbocker becomes the temporary headquarterscite journal |last= |first=|authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1907|month=November 1 |title=The Wealthy Rocky Mountain Takes Quarters in Hotel Knickerbocker|journal=New York Times |volume= |issue= |pages=3 |id= |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9D01E2DA103EE033A25752C0A9679D946697D6CF |accessdate=2008-05-27 |quote= ]
* December 28, 1913 - moved from the city to 65 West Forty-fourth Street, New Yorkcite journal |last= |first=|authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1913|month=December 28 |title=WESTERN MEN'S NEW HOME.; Rocky Mountain Club Has Housewarming at 65 West 44th St.|journal=New York Times |volume= |issue= |pages=3 |id= |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9405E1DF113FE633A2575BC2A9649D946296D6CF |accessdate=2008-05-27 |quote= ]
* January 30, 1917 - pledges $500,000 to Belgian reliefcite journal |last= |first=|authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1917|month=January 30|title=CLUB IN NEW YORK PLEDGES $500,000 TO BELGIAN RELIEF; Fund for New Million-Dollar Home for Rocky Mountain Club Turned Over. MEMBER GIVES $100,000 Monthly Collections Also Promised to Chairman Hoover of Relief Commission. MOVED BY STORIES OF WOE America Declared to be Falsely Credited with Salvation of Occupied Territory. |journal=New York Times |volume= |issue= |pages=1 |id= |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9E0DEFDA173AE433A25753C3A9679C946696D6CF |accessdate=2008-05-27 |quote= ]
* March 13, 1917 - begins recruitment effort to assist Roosevelt in forming a volunteer Armycite journal |last= |first=|authorlink= |coauthors= |year=1917|month=March 13|title=ENROLL WESTERNERS FOR SERVICE IN WAR; Movement to Register Men of That Region Begun at the Rocky Mountain Club. HEADED BY MAJOR BURNHAM John Hays Hammond and Others of Prominence Reported to be Supporting Plan. |journal=New York Times |volume= |issue= |pages=11 |id= |url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9D05E1DA123BEE3ABC4B52DFB566838C609EDE|accessdate=2008-05-27 |quote= ]
* April 25, 1926 - plans world tribute to John Hays Hammond
* March 4, 1928 - disbands

World War I

The Club was highly critical of Woodrow Wilson for not entering the war against Germany earlier. Once Roosevelt obtasined permission from the U.S. Congress to form a volunteer Army to help in France, Major Burnham was enlisted by the Club to raise the troops in the Western states and to coordinate recruitment efforts. Wilson ultimately rejected Roosevelt's plan and the volunteer Army disbanded. During the war, the club also raised $500,000 in relief funds for Belgium war refuges, and after the war it played a promenent part in helping U.S. soldiers from Western States re-incorporate into American society.

References

* New York Times, January 19, 1907
* New York Times, March 4, 1928
* John Hays Hammond, Sr. Papers. Manuscripts and Archives, Yale University Library.
* "Autobiography of John Hays Hammond", John Hays Hammond, Farrar & Rinehart, 565. ISBN 0-40505-913-2 (1935).