The Cosmos Club is a social club founded in Washington D.C. by John Wesley Powell in 1878. Clarence Edward Dutton, Henry Smith Pritchett, William Harkness, John Shaw Billings were original members. Among its stated goals is "The advancement of its members in science, literature, and art".^[1]. This article is about clubs referring to a particular organization of people. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United... John Wesley Powell, second Director of the USGS. Served from 1881-1894. ... 1878 (MDCCCLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Clarence Edward Dutton (May 15, 1841-January 4, 1912) was an American geologist and pioneer seismologist who developed and named the principle of isostasy. ... Henry Smith Pritchett (April 16, 1857 – August 28, 1939) was a U.S. astronomer and educator. ... William Harkness (1837-1903) was an American astronomer, born at Ecclefechan, Scotland, a son of James Harkness, (1803-78). ... John Shaw Billings (April 12, 1838 – March 11, 1913) was a librarian and surgeon and the moderniser of the Library of the Surgeon Generals Office of the Army and as the creator of the New York Public Library. ... Part of a scientific laboratory at the University of Cologne. ... Old book bindings at the Merton College library. ... This article is about the philosophical concept of Art. ...

Members include many distinguished figures, some of whom have received many awards and honors, including Nobel Prizes, the Pulitzer Prize and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The Nobel Prizes (Swedish: ), as designated in Alfred Nobels will in 1895, are awarded for physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, and peace. ... The Pulitzer Prize is an American award regarded as the highest national honor in print journalism, literary achievements, and musical composition. ... The Presidential Medal of Freedom The Presidential Medal of Freedom is one of the two highest civilian awards in the United States and is bestowed by the President of the United States (the other award which is considered its equivalent is the Congressional Gold Medal, which is bestowed by an...

The Club originally met in the Corcoran Building on the corner of 15th and F Streets, Northwest, but moved to Lafayette Square in 1882. Eventually, the Club occupied the Tayloe and Dolley Madison Houses on the Eastern side of the Square, and had two rowhouses between them razed for additional space. Prompted to relocate by the Federal government, the Club moved to the Townsend mansion at the intersection of Massachusetts and Florida Avenues in Northwest Washington in 1952. Presidents Park, located in Washington, D.C., includes the White House, a visitor center, Lafayette Park, and the Ellipse. ... This article is about a U.S. First Lady (the wife of James Madison). ... Massachusetts Avenue, colloquially abbreviated Mass. ... Florida Avenue is a major street in Washington, D.C. It was originally named Boundary Street, because it formed the northern boundary of Pierre LEnfants original plan for the Federal City. ...

Since 1887, the regular meeting place of the Philosophical Society of Washington has been the assembly hall of the Cosmos Club, now called the John Wesley Powell auditorium. The National Geographic Society was founded in the Cosmos Club in 1888. The Philosophical Society of Washington is the oldest scientific society in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1871 by Joseph Henry. ... John Wesley Powell, second Director of the USGS. Served from 1881-1894. ... This article is about the organization. ...

Members

• Akbar S. Ahmed
• John Vincent Atanasoff
• Herbert Block
• Stanwood Cobb
• Frank Cyr
• Clarence Edward Dutton
• John Hope Franklin
• William Harkness
• Helen Hayes
• Herbert Hoover
• Abraham Horwitz
• Sandra Day O'Conner
• George B. Post
• John Wesley Powell
• Larry Pressler
• Henry Smith Pritchett
• Mila Rechcigl
• Nelson Rockefeller
• William Howard Taft
• Woodrow Wilson

John Vincent Atanasoff (October 4, 1903 – June 15, 1995) was an American physicist of Bulgarian descent. ... Herbert Lawrence Block, called Herblock (October 13, 1909 - October 7, 2001), was a U.S. editorial cartoonist. ... Stanwood Cobb (November 6, 1881 – December 29, 1982), was an American educator, author, and prominent Baháí of the early 20th century. ... Frank W. Cyr (July 7, 1900 - August 1, 1995) was an American educator and author, a specialist in rural education who became known as the Father of the Yellow School Bus. ... Clarence Edward Dutton (May 15, 1841-January 4, 1912) was an American geologist and pioneer seismologist who developed and named the principle of isostasy. ... John H. Franklin John Hope Franklin (born January 2, 1915) is a United States historian and past president of the American Historical Association. ... William Harkness (1837-1903) was an American astronomer, born at Ecclefechan, Scotland, a son of James Harkness, (1803-78). ... Helen Hayes (October 10, 1900 – March 17, 1993) was a two-time Academy Award-winning American actress whose successful and award-winning career spanned almost 70 years. ... Herbert Clark Hoover (August 10, 1874 – October 20, 1964), the thirty-first President of the United States (1929–1933), was a world-famous mining engineer and humanitarian administrator. ... Justice Sandra Day OConnor Sandra Day OConnor (born March 26, 1930) has been an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since 1981. ... George Browne Post (1837 - 1913) was a U.S. architect. ... John Wesley Powell, second Director of the USGS. Served from 1881-1894. ... Larry Lee Pressler (b. ... Henry Smith Pritchett (April 16, 1857 – August 28, 1939) was a U.S. astronomer and educator. ... Mila Rechcigl Miloslav Rechcigl, Jr. ... Nelson Aldrich Rockefeller (July 8, 1908 – January 26, 1979) was an American Vice President, governor of New York State, philanthropist and businessman. ... For other persons named William Howard Taft, see William Howard Taft (disambiguation). ... Thomas Woodrow Wilson (December 28, 1856–February 3, 1924), was the twenty-eighth President of the United States. ...

See also

• List of American gentlemen's clubs

The traditional gentlemens club originated in London in the 18th century as a successor to coffeehouses. ...

References

^  Cosmos Club Official Site

• Presidents in the Cosmos

Spaulding, Thomas M. (1949). The Cosmos Club on Lafayette Square. Washington, D.C.: The Cosmos Club. 

Crossette, George (1966). Founders of The Cosmos Club of Washington, 1878. Washington, D.C.: The Cosmos Club. 

Washburn, Wilcomb E. (1978). The Cosmos Club of Washington : a centennial history, 1878-1978. Washington, D.C.: The Cosmos Club.