Founded in 1904, the St. Louis Fencers Club is the first fencing club in St. Louis and possibly the oldest fencing club in the United States west of the Mississippi. The SLFC later merged with the North County Fencers Club, and has maintained a presence as a teaching and recreational organization for over 100 years.

Beyond that, we’re ourselves a bit short on details, and are looking for verifiable information on the history of the club, as most of our older records have turned up missing or lost.

Tradition holds that the club was founded by a group of St. Louisans who wanted to continue fencing together after they made an unsuccessful try for the 1904 Olympic Fencing Team.

Who they were, and exactly where and when the club actually began are unknown. We have recently uncovered this New York Times article from 1904 that indicates the club has been in existence since at least the months leading up to the ’04 Olympics.  If you have any records pertaining to the St. Louis Fencers Club, or tips on where we can find information, please e-mail us.