Rotary came to Binghamton, NY in 1912 by coincidence.  Pliny W. Smith, a former Rochester dentist, turned insurance man, shared space in the law office of Robert S. Wickham (later a distinguished jurist). While attending an insurance conclave in Buffalo, in 1912, Pliny learned of the emerging service club movement.  He and Bob organized our own Binghamton Rotary on March 7, 1912 with six members and a provisional local constitution in form recommended by the International Association.  The Club membership grew to 20 during the summer and by fall, and a year later the decision was made to formally apply for affiliation.  Our Charter was dated June 2, 1913 and we were designated the sixty-fourth Club in Rotary International.

                Club 64 got off the launching pad with a roster of 86 members and increased to over 100 in two years.  The membership tackled such monumental tasks as promoting center city public toilets, day care for working mothers and pulmotor for the police department. 

Over the years the Club has organized and sponsored the Boys’ Club, the Boy Scout Council, the Child Welfare Association and the Crippled Children’s Association.  The latter two were nurtured by Rotarians Chester B. Lord and Dr. Charles Allaben, until assimilated by city, county and state agencies.

                Binghamton Rotary has raised over $100,000 in its lifetime for the many activities it sponsors.  We have an Educational Foundation which is a revolving loan fund, nursing and academic scholarships, a Charities Fund, Birthday Fund, Community Service Fund and a strong broadly based Paul Harris foundation roster of Fellows and Sustainers.  To raise these funds over the years, we have had Club Talent Reviews, Water Follies, Travelogue Series, Touring Circuses, Field Days, Auctions and Lotteries to bring the whole community into the support posture behind our designated projects.