During 1883-84 the society, named for UNC scientist and educator Elisha Mitchell (1793-1857), convened seven times, offered a total of 67 papers, and attracted 82 regular members, including UNC faculty, educators from other colleges throughout the state, and members of the community. But despite the organization's apparently successful beginning, it declined steadily thereafter. Given the difficulty of travel even over relatively short distances, few out-of-town members attended meetings. Meanwhile, local citizens lost interest in the technical presentations, and a series of more general public lectures did little to boost interest. By 1888 membership had declined to 66 persons, 41 of whom lived less than 60 miles from Chapel Hill.
In effect, the Elisha Mitchell Scientific Society had become a local organization and in 1892 chose to limit its membership to UNC faculty and students. A decade later North Carolina scientists formed the North Carolina Academy of Science to meet their professional needs. Meanwhile, the Mitchell Society met sporadically until 1983, when it officially "passed its torch" to the larger, statewide academy.