Downtown in Sioux Falls in Minnehaha County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Yesterday

— Rotary Centennial Plaza —

February 6, 2022

1. Yesterday Marker

Inscription.

Yesterday. . , Where We've Been , On February 23, 1905, the first Rotary Club was formed when Paul P. Harris called together a meeting of three business friends and acquaintances in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Also attending the meeting were Gustave Loehr, Silvester Schiele, and Hiram E. Shorey., The members called their club Rotary because initially they rotated weekly club meetings to each other's offices. Within one year, the Chicago club became so large that the club established a regular meeting place., On September 8, 1915, Rotary District Governor John O. Knutson of Sioux City, Iowa, along with nineteen other members of the Sioux City Rotary Club visited Sioux Falls, SD in the interests of organizing a Rotary Club in Sioux Falls. They held an informal dinner at the Cataract Hotel in Downtown Sioux Falls at the corner of 9th Street and Phillips Avenue that evening where twenty-one local leaders submitted applications to become members of the Rotary Club of Sioux Falls., On September 16, 1915, those initial applicants and others became Rotarians and officially began the Rotary Club of Sioux Falls. Find a full list of the Charter members and first officers of the Rotary Club of Sioux Falls below, at left., Charter Members , J. Judson Allen · A.F. Allison · Amos E. Ayres (Vice President) · C.R. Beattie (Secretary) · J.H. Bechtold · H.F. Brownell · Walter C. Buchanan · Sivert A. Christenson (Treasurer) · Gilbert G. Cottam · Charles M. Day (President) · George H. Denton · Nelson C. Draper · Charles P. Dunning · James L. Elliott · J.W. Fenn · John T. Fosdick · W.H.T. Foster · George W. Fox · J. Earl Gardner , Lee R. Girton · Arthur E. Godfrey · C.F. Hepburn · Howard W. Hopewell · Harry A. Hurd · Fred G. Kimball · Fred A. Kreiser · S.E. Linton, Jr. · L.D. Manchester · Guy Maxwell · A.A. MacDonald (Sergeant-at-Arms) · C.E. McKinney · H.E. Neeley · E.D. Putnam · John G. Ritter · Bert C. Shaw · Howard W. Simpson · S.L. Strommerson · Claude W. Thompson, Sioux Falls Rotary Past Presidents , Charles M. Day 1915-16 , Amos E. Ayers 1916-17 , Howard W. Simpson 1919 , Charles S. McDonald 1920, Harry F. Brownell 1917-18 , Arthur B. Fairbank 1918-19 , Sivert A. Christenson 1920-21 , Oscar A. Rofelty 1921-22

Where We've Been
On February 23, 1905, the first Rotary Club was formed when Paul P. Harris called together a meeting of three business friends and acquaintances in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Also attending the meeting were Gustave Loehr, Silvester Schiele, and Hiram E. Shorey.

The members called their club Rotary because initially they rotated weekly club meetings to each other's offices. Within one year, the Chicago club became so large that the club established a regular meeting place.

On September 8, 1915, Rotary District Governor John O. Knutson of Sioux City, Iowa, along with nineteen other members of the Sioux City Rotary Club visited Sioux Falls, SD in the interests of organizing a Rotary Club in Sioux Falls. They held an informal dinner at the Cataract Hotel in Downtown Sioux Falls at the corner of 9th Street and Phillips Avenue that evening where twenty-one local leaders submitted applications to become members of the Rotary Club of Sioux Falls.

On September 16, 1915, those initial applicants and others became Rotarians and officially began the Rotary Club of Sioux Falls. Find a full list of the Charter members and first officers of the Rotary Club of Sioux Falls below, at left.

Charter Members
J. Judson Allen · A.F. Allison · Amos E. Ayres (Vice

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President) · C.R. Beattie (Secretary) · J.H. Bechtold · H.F. Brownell · Walter C. Buchanan · Sivert A. Christenson (Treasurer) · Gilbert G. Cottam · Charles M. Day (President) · George H. Denton · Nelson C. Draper · Charles P. Dunning · James L. Elliott · J.W. Fenn · John T. Fosdick · W.H.T. Foster · George W. Fox · J. Earl Gardner
Lee R. Girton · Arthur E. Godfrey · C.F. Hepburn · Howard W. Hopewell · Harry A. Hurd · Fred G. Kimball · Fred A. Kreiser · S.E. Linton, Jr. · L.D. Manchester · Guy Maxwell · A.A. MacDonald (Sergeant-at-Arms) · C.E. McKinney · H.E. Neeley · E.D. Putnam · John G. Ritter · Bert C. Shaw · Howard W. Simpson · S.L. Strommerson · Claude W. Thompson

Sioux Falls Rotary Past Presidents
Charles M. Day 1915-16
Amos E. Ayers 1916-17
Howard W. Simpson 1919
Charles S. McDonald 1920

Harry F. Brownell 1917-18
Arthur B. Fairbank 1918-19
Sivert A. Christenson 1920-21
Oscar A. Rofelty 1921-22

Erected 2017 by Rotary International.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Charity & Public Work. In addition, it is included in the Rotary International series list. A significant historical date for this entry is February 23, 1905.

Location. 43° 32.778′

Rotary Centennial Plaza image. Click for full size.

February 6, 2022

2. Rotary Centennial Plaza

Left to right, markers are titled Today, Tomorrow, and Yesterday.

N, 96° 43.408′ W. Marker is in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, in Minnehaha County. It is in Downtown. Marker is at the intersection of South River Road and East 10th Street (State Highway 42), on the right when traveling north on South River Road. Rotary Centennial Park is located north of Fawick Park in Sioux Falls. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 102 S River Road, Sioux Falls SD 57104, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Gaslight Era (within shouting distance of this marker); Fort Sod (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Site of Fort Sod (about 300 feet away); Thomas L. Fawick (about 400 feet away); Incident at Fort Sod (about 400 feet away); a different marker also named Fort Sod (about 500 feet away); First Industrial Park (about 500 feet away); Historic River Crossing (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Sioux Falls.

Rotary Centennial Plaza, from the south image. Click for full size.

February 6, 2022

3. Rotary Centennial Plaza, from the south

Today Marker image. Click for full size.

February 6, 2022

4. Today Marker

Tomorrow Marker image. Click for full size.

February 6, 2022

5. Tomorrow Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on February 16, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 16, 2022. This page has been viewed 109 times since then and 5 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on February 16, 2022.