Ramsey County Historical Society Presents

The St. Paul Hiking Club
Robert Tholkes, with Janice Quick, Donna Naumann Jensen and Pat Hustings

History Revealed Series
April 29, 2021
Thursday, 7:00 pm

Live presentation on Zoom
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The presentation will be recorded.
For registration or other questions, please email events@rchs.com

Join Bob Tholkes, Janice Quick and Pat Hustings as they share the history and stories of the St. Paul Hiking Club from its beginnings one hundred years ago on January 15, 1921.

On January 15, 1921, twenty-five hardy young people bundled up in their warmest boots, knickers, hiking skirts, and woolen mittens and socks for a six-mile round-trip jaunt on the east side of St. Paul in 10°F weather. With that inaugural trek, the St. Paul Municipal Hiking Club was formed. A century on and a few days past the anniversary of that first frigid excursion, members of what is today simply called the St. Paul Hiking Club recreated the journey—in warmer weather—15°F!  When not walking, Bob Tholkes, president of the club since 2014, spent the better part of two years researching the story of one of St. Paul’s early social clubs that formed to promote exercise and create opportunities to get to know one another and explore Minnesota’s great outdoors. Join Bob and historians/members Janice Quick and Pat Hustings for this anniversary event and get inspired to hike this spring!

Zoom Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYlduGrqjkuGtOLt65-fg6PAtbsO6a0OEmN

Featured image: In 1940, the City of Saint Paul honored the St. Paul Municipal Hiking Club (now the St. Paul Hiking Club) for their volunteer work at one of the local parks. From the RCHS Collection.