FREMONT — The historian of a literary club to which President Rutherford B. Hayes belonged will discuss the club’s founding and highlights of its 175-year history on April 10.

President Hayes was an avid reader throughout his life and owned a personal collection of more than 8,000 books. As a young lawyer, he joined the newly formed Literary Club of Cincinnati in 1850. The club still exists today and is the oldest organization of its kind in the United States.

During his talk, club historian Robert Vitz will also discuss some of its notable members and guests. The talk starts at 6:30 p.m. and will be in the auditorium at the Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Library & Museums at Spiegel Grove in Fremont, the library said in a release. Admission is free.

This event is being offered as a complement to the museum’s latest special exhibit, Inside President Hayes’ Library. The exhibit explores the authors and titles that shaped and inspired Hayes and includes his books ranging from works of Shakespeare and Mark Twain to Harriet Beecher Stowe and research titles on the law and history of slavery. Letters from authors to Hayes, as well as prints the president collected of his favorite authors are also on display.

First Published April 2, 2025, 7:59 p.m.