The Rocky Mountain Club was incorporated in New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 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

John Hays Hammond

John Hays Hammond was a famous mining engineer, diplomat, and philanthropist. Known as the man with the midas touch, he amassed a sizable fortune before the age of 40. An early advocate of deep-level mining, Hammond was given complete charge of Cecil Rhodes' mines in South Africa and made each...

, was the only President. The original directors were: W. B. Thompson, A. J. Seligman, John Campbell Cory, B. B. Taylor, Frederick Russell Burnham

Frederick Russell Burnham

Frederick Russell Burnham, DSO was an American scout and world traveling adventurer known for his service to the British Army in colonial Africa and for teaching woodcraft to Robert Baden-Powell, thus becoming one of the inspirations for the founding of the international Scouting Movement.Burnham...

, and J. J. McEvelly. Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore Roosevelt

Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...

 was a prominent member along with U.S. Senator Thomas Kearns

Thomas Kearns

Thomas Kearns was a mining, banking, railroad and newspaper magnate. He was elected United States Senator from Utah from 1901 to 1905.- Immigration and mining :...

 of Utah and U.S. Senator W.A. Clark of Montana.

Key dates in the history of the club include:

• January 20, 1907 - incorporated
• November 1, 1907 - Hotel Knickerbocker becomes the temporary headquarters
• December 28, 1913 - moved from the city to 65 West Forty-fourth Street, New York
• January 30, 1917 - pledges $500,000 to Belgian relief
• March 13, 1917 - begins recruitment effort to assist Roosevelt in forming a volunteer Army
• 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 obtained 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 prominent part in helping U.S. soldiers from Western States re-incorporate into American society.