Founding of the National Geographic Society

On January 13, 1888, a small gathering of explorer and scientists, 33 in all, gathered at the Cosmos Club in Washington, DC. They proposed to organize a society "to increase and diffuse geographic knowledge while promoting the conservation of the world's cultural, historical, and natural resources." Two weeks later on January 27th 1888 they incorporated the National Geographic Society.

Alexander Graham Bell, the Society's second president, proposed a magazine, sales of which would help fund the Society's activities. And as the saying goes the rest is history!

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