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RPA Firsts

1900 Rochester Street Car Cancel

First official RPA meeting- March 26, 1913 at the Hotel Rochester, 8 PM. Dues were $2 per year, 50 cents for juniors.

First RPA auction- October 22, 1913 of US and foreign stamps realizing $8.65 in sales, $1 of it going into the RPA Treasury.

First RPA banquet- January, 1914 held jointly with the Rochester Numismatic Association.

First members' competitive exhibit- March 25, 1914 showing countries of Europe. It ended in a 5 to 5 tie.

First woman member- Mrs. Zimmerman who joined in June, 1914 and never attended another meeting.

First honorary RPA member- Mr. D. Horetman, named on January 27, 1915.

First expelled RPA member- M. Ottly on November 24, 1915 for failing to pay a dealer in Bath, England 37.22 for stamps.

First RPA mail auction- May 20, 1964 containing 1129 lots receiving 4100 bids. Total CV of all lots was $32,000, of which $28,000 CV was sold for $7,200 at about 26% CV per '64 prices.

First "Champion of Champions" & national philatelic literature competition- September 19-22, 1968 at the RPA 50th anniversary exhibition.

First "ROPEX"- September 24-26, 1971, ROPEX '71.

First RPA souvenir card- January 21, 1974 issued during ROPEX/TOPEX '74 featuring the 1954 George Eastman stamp.

Meeting Places & Dates

March 26, 1913- Hotel Rochester, first official RPA meeting, with meetings held every 4th Wednesday of the month.

May 28, 1913- Monroe County Court House, Surrogate Court Room

1917-19- meetings held at the Ellwanger Barry Building, the Rochester YMCA and the Hotel Rochester every 4th Thursday of the month.

July 24, 1919- meetings start at the Library Room of the Municipal Museum at Exposition Park, later named Edgerton Park.

November, 1933- meetings changed to the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of every month.

1942- meetings moved to the newly opened Rochester Museum of Arts and Sciences, 657 East Avenue in the Hobby Room.

1962- meetings moved to the museum's basement.

March 11, 1976- first meeting at St. Paul's Episcopal Church at East Avenue and Vick Park B.

June 27, 2002- first meeting at 12 Corners Presbyterian Church, 1200 Winton Road South.

September 22, 2012- first meeting at Brighton Reformed Church, 805 Blossom Road.

?- first meeting at the Jewish Community Center of Rochester, 1200 Edgewood Avenue.

January 12, 2023- first meeting at the Village at the Unity-Village Square Community Room 1477, Long Pond Road in Greece