Brief histories of Rotary's First 100 Clubs

Rotary Club of Oklahoma City 29

Rotary International District 5750

Home Club of Rotary International President

Everett W. Hill, 1924-25

(later moved to Polson, Montana USA)

President Hill's convention page

Club 29 has been serving others for ninety years. Oklahoma City boasted a population of only 50,000 when, in 1909, a group of businessmen organized a club with membership made up of representatives of different businesses and professions. The club took the name "Iron Cross Club."

Lee B. Mettler, President of the Kansas City Rotary Club, visited the club in November 1910. He was struck by the similarity in the membership of Rotary with the Oklahoma City group and proposed the Oklahoma City group join the Rotary association of clubs being formed. They filed for admission to the National Association of Rotary Clubs of America on November 22, 1910.

The Oklahoma City group was accepted by Rotary and a charter was issued naming the group the 29th club in Rotary as of November 7, 1911.

District 17 Conference - 1919 with a cover photo of "Black Jack" Pershing (courtesy Wolfgang Ziegler collection)

Included in the guest list, the RI president, Governors of Kansas & Oklahoma and Secretary Ches Perry

Oklahoma's "100+" Clubs

Oklahoma City 29

Muskogee 87