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Abstract
On 6 April 1909, with the support of the well‐financed Peary Arctic Club, Lieutenant Robert E. Peary claimed to have reached the geographic North Pole, an achievement that marked the culmination of a prolonged struggle over the course of more than twenty years. At the start of his exploration career, however, before Peary had established formidable credentials in the field of exploration, and as he looked for possible supporters, Peary turned to the City of Philadelphia. The city's scientific organizations, specifically the Academy of Natural Sciences and the Geographical Society of Philadelphia, and their supportive members, placed their trust in the inexperienced and largely unknown explorer. Besides offering all‐important financial support, those organizations added their names and staffing to his ventures, providing vital endorsements and a scientific agenda to his efforts. That early support enabled Peary to achieve some valuable geographical successes, and firmly established him as a credible explorer, worthy of greater support for his more ambitious plans to reach the North Pole.