The Fascinating History of the Explorers Club Headquarters in Manhattan

On June 28, 2022June 28, 2022 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn New York1 Comment

As we researched places to visit during our recent trip to New York City, the Headquarters of the Explorers Club quickly rose to one of the top priorities. Although it takes more than an appetite to travel the world to become members of the Explorers Club, just seeing the inside of the historic club was amazing. To become a member of the Explorers Club, you must have participated in some form of scientific exploration or field research as well as being sponsored by at least two current members. The club was founded in 1904 by some of the world’s leading explorers of the time and one can only imagine the conversations that occurred as they sat in leather chairs in front of the fire and recalled their latest exploits.

As you walk through the Explorers Club Headquarters, you are greeted with paintings and memorabilia that remind you not only of the great accomplishments, but of the harsh conditions that the early explores endured. As you walk through the entrance to the club, immediately on your left you will see a private, members only, lounge and bar with a fireplace and leather chairs. Above the fireplace is a painting by Charles R. Knight titled Woolly Rhinoceros. Just as one would expect from such an illustrious group, there is a plaque commemorating famous firsts achieved by the members which includes the North Pole, South Pole, Everest, Challenger Deep, and the moon.

The second floor has the Clark Room, which has flags that have been on various expeditions, the library with a large collection of books and a large painting titled The Rescue of Greely, which depicts the famous rescue of Adolphus Greely’s expedition that attempted to create the first permanent base at the edge of the Arctic Sea. Greely and six other survivors of the expedition were rescued in 1884 after being stranded for 2 years. Greely became the first president of The Explorers Club 1905 and the bell from the ship that rescued him, named Bear, is also on display on the second floor. There is also a terrace on the second floor with antique stained glass and bistro tables for entertaining.

With our love for travel and exploration, seeing the historic Explorers Club Headquarters with all of the history and paintings was one of the highlights of our visit to New York City. There are parts of the headquarters that are off-limits to visitors, but there is more than enough to see if you decide to visit. They are happy to provide you a flyer with their history and explanations of all of the fascinating artifacts and artwork located throughout the six-story building. They will even give you an application to apply for membership if you ask. There were not any other visitors during the time that we were there, so it is definitely not as well-known as most other locations near mid-town Manhattan.

Exploring More of Central Park in New York City

On June 27, 2022June 27, 2022 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn New YorkLeave a comment

We have walked through Central Park during our previous trip to New York, but if you’ve been to Central Park before, you’ll know that it is huge. There is so much to see throughout the park and we saw very little of it on our first trip. We still only made it about halfway through the park this time, but we did take time to explore more and see so many interesting features, including Belvedere Castle. It was hot and sunny as we walked through the park, so the shade of the trees was very welcome and we once again went to Loeb Boathouse for a glass of wine before heading back to our hotel.

Chess Board at the Chess and Checkers House

There are many fascinating statues within Central Park including the Mall and Literary Walk and the Women’s Rights Pioneers Monument. We turned towards Belvedere Castle after passing by the King Jagiello Monument. Central Park truly is an oasis in the middle of such a large and vibrant city. Although our recent visit to New York was more about going to unique and different locations than the typical tourist spots, we couldn’t help but go back to the park and wonder along the many different paths.

With so many different trails and the sheer size of Central Park, it could be easy to get lost as you wonder around. With that said, what better way to spend an afternoon than losing oneself in this beautiful park. We spent our first afternoon after taking the train from Baltimore to New York strolling through the park and admiring all of the nature and statues.

Historic Trinity Church on the Corner of Broadway and Wall Street in New York City

On June 20, 2022June 20, 2022 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn New YorkLeave a comment

We decided to spend time in Lower Manhattan during our recent visit to New York City. One of the places that enjoyed seeing was Trinity Church, which is located at Broadway and Wall Street and is surrounded by towering skyscrapers. The fact that the church is located in the heart of the city does not diminish the beauty of the church, but it is different that a lot of cathedrals and churches in Europe where the church dominates the skyline. The church is an active church that received its first charter from King William III in 1697 when the America’s were in their infancy.

The first thing that strikes out to you as you visit Trinity Church is the historic cemetery with its oldest headstone dating back to 1861. The headstone is for Richard Churcher, the 5-year-old son of William Churcher. The cemetery is also the gravesite of Alexander Hamilton and there are also many different monuments in the graveyard. It is a peaceful spot in an otherwise very busy part of the city.

Steeple with Skyscrapers in the Background

The facade of the building is quite stunning with its huge steeple reaching toward the sky. Within the steeple are 12 change-ringing bells that rotate 360 degrees making a rich and complex sound. It is the only set of these types of bells in the United States. We did not enter the church during our visit, but just walking around the grounds was quite interesting. With such an amazing history and architecture, Trinity Church is quite fascinating, especially considering the juxtaposition between the church and the surrounding modern buildings.