Travelers' Club of Rochester Records

The Travelers' Club was founded by doctors' wives living in the Arnold Park neighborhood of Rochester. Originally formed in 1893, it planned from the outset to be a study club (for the "intellectual development of members," per its constitution), carrying out in-depth study of the art, literature, history and customs of foreign lands. A single country was taken as the study theme for a given year, with each member assigned specific topics to research and report back upon. A full program was written and published annually. From 1902 onwards, membership was limited to 36, and candidates could only be accepted upon the endorsement of two existing members. In later years, the club did extend its studies beyond national topics to include, for example, a 1965 season dedicated to "World Personalities" on famous historical figures from around the globe.