After setting up his law practice in Chicago, Paul P. Harris gathered several business associates to discuss the idea of forming an organization for local professionals. On 23 February 1905 Harris,  Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele, and Hiram Shorey gathered at Loehr’s office in Room 711 of the Unity Building in downtown Chicago. This was the first Rotary club meeting.

Our 1.2 million-member organization started with the vision of one man—Paul P. Harris. The Chicago attorney formed one of the world’s first service organizations, the Rotary Club of Chicago, on 23 February 1905 as a place where professionals with diverse backgrounds could exchange ideas and form meaningful, lifelong friendships. 

Rotary’s name came from the group’s early practice of rotating meetings among the offices of each member.

Image

(The first four Rotarians (from left): Gustavus Loehr, Silvester Schiele,
Hiram Shorey, and Paul P. Harris, circa 1905-12.)

Today - 109 years later - there are more than 1.2 million Rotarians in more than
34,000 Rotary Clubs in more than 200 countries!

We are the world's first - and largest - service club.