Wilson Ornithological Club's Constitution Notebook

Collection — Box: 01, Folder: 01

Identifier: A2023-13-01

Staff Only

Content Description

This collection consists of one handwritten notebook containing the constitution and by-laws of the Wilson Ornithological Club. It includes amendments made over the years following the adoption of the constitution in 1890, and a list of members and elected officers. The date of adoption of the constitution is noted as June 21, 1890, with amendments and additions made up until 1895.

Dates

1890-1895
Majority of material found in 1890

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open to researchers.

For onsite access, researchers must schedule an appointment with the Archives as far in advance as possible; a minimum of three weeks is requested. Contact Archives@mos.org for more information.

Conditions Governing Use

Materials are in the public domain.

Historical Note

The Wilson Ornithological Club, originally located at 1 Oxford St. in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was organized on May 14th, 1887. The object of the club, as stated in their constitution, was the study of birds. Most of the original members of the club were undergraduates at Harvard, from the classes of 1894 to 1900. A number of those listed went on to become members of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, the oldest ornithology organization in the United States, also founded in Cambridge. One member of the Wilson Ornithological Club, Robert Walcott, later became the board president at the Massachusetts Audubon Society, serving from 1925 to 1956. Presidents of the club include William Rodman Peabody and Robert Walcott, and secretaries include Francis Beach White, James Kelsey Whittemore, Francis Apthorp Foster, and Arthur Scott Gilman. The status of the club after 1895 is unknown.

Extent

0.08 Linear Feet (1 folder)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Custodial History

Unknown provenance; the item was found in storage with a box inscription of "RG4 S6 Box 2", labeled "Original manuscripts. Ornithological & insect field notes & catalogues. To be processed & ID'd" in 2023.