The exhibit celebrating the 80th anniversary of US Chess opened at the World Chess Hall of Fame yesterday March 6. The 3rd floor exhibit area is filled by US Chess memorabilia. The exhibit will run through October 27, 2019. If you are going near St Louis stop by and check it out. You have plenty of time to plan the trip. The exhibit includes an early hand written card progressing Fischer’s rating. There is also a 1944 newsletter. Look carefully under the list of California delegates to find Humphrey Bogart.
Until April 14, 2019 there is also an exhibit of Harry Benson photography especially of Bobby Fischer. Those are in the 2nd floor space and are quite interesting as well.
This is a link tot he US Chess exhibition information o the WHOF website.
In an 1898 edition of the American Chess Magazine one can find a listing of chess clubs, some of which still exist either continuously or in revived form. books.google.com/books?id=08BAA … ub&f=false
From Bill Wall via ChessManiac is an extensive list of 19th Century chess clubs. Again, some of these clubs still exist in continuous or revived form. chessmaniac.com/early-american-chess-clubs/
If anyone is interested in 19th Century chess activity focused on NYC, but referencing other locations, I can recommend Thomas Frere and the Brotherhood of Chess by Martin Frere Hillyer.
Chess clubs have been and remain the backbone of US Chess. What is being done to help our local chess clubs flourish and grow chess in the US? Very little from the standpoint of US Chess, IMO.