The Birth of the Highpointers Club

Photo courtesy of Missouri Life

The Highpointers Club is comprised of people from all walks of life who share a common interest in attaining the highpoint of each of the 50 states. The club had it’s beginnings in 1986 when our founder – Jack Longacre – managed to get a blurb printed in the October 1986 issue of Outside Magazine under the Bulletin Column asking highpointers to contact him.

Jakk’s story as it appeared in the 3rd quarter 1991 issue of the club’s newsletter in a story entitled “Birth Of The Highpointers Club” appears on the right.

The Birth of the Highpointers Club
By Jakk Longacre

While I’ve never been a big summit register reading fan, I would upon occasion peruse one.

In doing so I noticed a pattern of comments in said registers in reference to the state highpoints. “This was my 21st state H.P. …” “This was my 12th ….” Etc.

The only noticeable variable being the count. “My God!” I thought. “There must be others out there with no more sense than myself, and I’d like to meet or correspond with them.”

I wrote to Outside Magazine, and in the Oct. 1986 issue under the “Bulletin” Column they included a blurb that I’d like to contact highpointers, and they included my address.

This resulted in a correspondence between myself and about 30 people. One of which was Don Berens. When Don completed (the 50), a Mary Esch did an article on him that went nation-wide and had my name and address in it.

Suddenly I’m now corresponding with not 30 but rather 90 people! “Let’s start a club!” “Lets start a club!” SURE; like me with all my literary experience. But we did it!! I got help from all sides, from nearly all members and now we are 2000+ strong and growing.

And that in a nutshell is the story of the beginning of the Highpointers Club.

[Webmeister’s Note: Jakk, who lives on Missouri’s Taum Sauk, welcomes club members anytime. You can also read a profile of him in Missouri Life in the Americasroof Forum. Jakk also personally hosted the 1999 convention.]