Established by the Tom Lea Institute in 2011, the Society of the XII Travelers is comprised of the first twelve $100,000 donors to the Tom Lea Institute. The XII Travelers takes its name from the 1946 publication. 

Calendar of XII Travelers Through the Pass of the North, written and illustrated by Tom Lea, identifies significant figures in the history of the Southwest. The $1.25-million endowment will provide a percentage of the annual operating costs of the Tom Lea Institute.