Rotary came to the intermountain area six years after Paul Harris organized the first Rotary club in Chicago in 1905. In 1911 Salt Lake City had the distinction or receiving Charter No. 24. The first club in Idaho was Boise in 1917, quickly followed by Idaho Falls in February, 1918 and both Twin Falls and Pocatello on April 1, 1918.

There were no Rotary 'Districts' until 1915. In that year District 14 was established comprising Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Montana and Wyoming. In 1918 redistricting became necessary and Idaho, Montana, Utah and Western Wyoming were grouped together as District 20. Four years later Utah and Idaho were split off and became District 15.

Our present area, along with Utah, was District 110 from1937 until 1949 when the designation was changed to District 165 and then in 1957 to District 542. Utah and Idaho were separated on July 1, 1980 when the present District 540 was established covering Malheur County in Oregon, Southern Idaho and the Northeast corner of Elko County, Nevada. The District number was modified in 1990 to District 5400 due to computerization at Rotary International.

Rotary District 5400 has 39 clubs from Ontario, OR in the west to Montpelier, ID in the east and from Salmon, ID in the north to Preston, ID to the south.

We are bounded by District 5420 in Utah, District 5440 in Wyoming, District 5080 in Northern Idaho, District 5100 in Oregon and District 5190 in Nevada.

If you haven't been to this part of the country, come on out and visit us. Our District includes some of the prettiest country in the nation including some of the best fishing, camping and hunting area anywhere not to mention some of the friendliest people.

District 5400 was also home to Rotary International President Richard Wells, Pocatello, 1944-45