Rotary District 260 was created in 1949-1950 and remained as such for nine years during which period, nine of our present Clubs were chartered. All nine District Governors were from Clubs presently in our District.  

District 730 was so designated in 1957-58 and included the same territory as the previous District 260. In 1959, Herbert Taylor, author of the Four Way Test, spoke at a District meeting. District 730 existed for thirty-four years, during which time seventeen new Clubs were established, bringing the total number of Clubs to fifty-eight. The first Rotaract Club in the District at Point Park College was formed in 1970. The first breakfast Club, Three Rivers Rotary Club, was established in 1984. By 1991, eight breakfast Clubs existed, three more being chartered as such, while four existing Clubs changed their meeting times to the breakfast period. In 1990-91, in accordance with Rotary International's new numbering system due to the growth of Rotary, District 730 was designated District 7300. 

Our Greater Pittsburgh Area Rotary distinguished itself by the elevation of a number of its members to prominent positions with Rotary International.  Our first Rotary International Director was Anthony W. Smith of the Pittsburgh Club in 1923-1924.  H. V. Churchill of the New Kensington Rotary Club served as RI Director and First Vice President (1950-1951).   Karl M. Knapp of the Pittsburgh Club served as RI Director during 1958-1960.  Other nominated and selected RI Directors from our area and unfortunately died before their terms began were Lewis L. Doughton and Robert L. Stevenson from the Pittsburgh Rotary Club.  Robert “Bob” Stevenson, whose Rotary classification and vocation was Public Relations, served as the first Rotary International Public Relations Committee Chair which initiated the “What’s Rotary” pamphlet that is updated and produced in all Rotary languages each year and used throughout the world.  Bob Stevenson later served with distinction as a trustee of The Rotary Foundation prior to his untimely death.  Louis Piconi of the Bethel-St. Clair Rotary Club served as RI Director 1999-2001 and as Vice President in 2000-01.   Lou later served as the Chairman for the Rotary International Polio Eradication Fundraising Campaign for North America, which included Canada, Mexico and the United States; and served as the RI Promotions Committee Chair for the 2005 Chicago Centennial Convention.   

Other distinguished Rotarians from District 730 who served as District Secretaries for long periods of time were Charles Starr, Sidney Smith and Charles Police. 

District Conferences for District 730 were held at Bedford Springs Hotel through 1973. At that time, the Conference site was moved to the Seven Springs Mountain Resort.  Exceptions were District Conferences held in Pittsburgh, Oglebay Park and Warrendale.  In 1985, DG Louis Piconi convened the Family Vacation Cruise Conference aboard the liner "Carnival."  That memorable five-day floating Conference originated and ended at the Port of Miarni with stops at Freeport and Nassau in the Bahamas.  District 730 chartered the entire ship with more than 1,000 Rotarians, families and friends participating in a unique and unforgettable week of Rotary business, information and pleasure. 

During the 1970's District 730 had an adult, a youth, and family exchange programs with District 107 in England.  Groups from both Districts exchanged visits and hospitality for seven years. Many friendships still flourish because of this international exchange. 

In 1973, one hundred seventy (170) District 730 Rotarians, their partners and a few Rotarians from neighboring Districts attended the Rotary International Convention held at Lausanne, Switzerland.  Following the Convention, the group enjoyed a ten-day tour through Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg and France before returning home. 

In 1990-91 Rotary International changed the District designation from 730 to 7300. 

Throughout its long history, District 7300 Clubs have sponsored many successful projects and events. Most were carried out by individual clubs for the benefit of causes in their respective communities. The Rotary Foundation, working through Rotary Clubs worldwide, has helped fund many educational and humanitarian projects. The first international scholarship student to our District in 1948 studied at the University of Pittsburgh and came from the University of Brussels. Since then, there have been over 150 additional scholars and yearly group study exchange teams. Two recent projects, both of which received significant contributions from District 7300, need to be mentioned. Textbooks, seeds and agricultural technology projects benefited needy people in Africa, the Philippines and the Caribbean. This "people to people" project gave goods valued at over US$50 MIL sent overseas that included contributions of $140.000 coming from District 7300.  Many World Community Service projects are currently in progress with several more in the planning stages

On a much larger scale was "Polio Plus" which has been heralded as the largest private humanitarian effort ever attempted.  Polio Plus has played a significant role in eliminating polio and other childhood diseases in developing countries throughout the world. Of the more than US$247 million raised by Rotary Clubs worldwide in the 1987-89 capital campaign, in support of Polio Plus, District 7300 has accounted for over US$1.4 MIL.  In 2002-2003, Rotary International President Bhichai Rattakul (Thailand) asked Rotarians to raise an additional US$80 million to complete the task of Polio Eradication. Rotary Clubs worldwide responded by raising over US$130 MIL.  District 7300 raised $326,000. In 1985 there were over 350,000 cases of polio reported in 125 countries. In 2003 only 720 cases were reported in six countries (Afghanistan, Egypt, India, Niger, Nigeria, and Pakistan).  In January 2004, India reported no cases of Polio.

 District 7300, as we are now known, is the beneficiary of a long and rich evolution from one Rotary Cub to our present fifty-one clubs located in Allegheny, Beaver, and Westmoreland Counties.

Limitations of space do not permit a complete recitation of the many examples of generous and unselfish service to persons and groups within our District, nation, and throughout the world which have resulted from over eight decades of effort to serve through friendship by District 7300.   However, it must and is duly noted with great appreciation that PDG Paul Elder (Turtle Creek) gave the largest gift to The Rotary Foundation in its history at the time of his death in 1999, approximately US$7.6 million. 

Certainly, District 7300 Rotarians can state with justifiable prides that our District exemplifies and practices the Rotary International creed and official motto:

"Service Above Self"

Rotary International Presidents who visited us during their term:

 

Frank L. Mulholland, 1914

Allen D. Albert, 1915

Arch C. Klumph, “Father” of the Rotary Foundation, 1916

 E. Leslie Pidgeon, 1918

Guy Gundaker, 1923

Clinton P. Anderson, 1932

George Hager, 1939

Walter Head, 1941

Tom Davis, 1942

George C. Hager, 1947

S. Kendrick Guemey, 1948

Harold T. Thomas, 1960

Charles Pettingill, 1964

William Carter, 1972

William R. Robbins, 1974

Jack Davis, 1976

Carlos Canseco, 1984

M.A.T. Caparas, 1987

Charles C. Keller, 1988

Royce Abbey, 1988

Rajendra K. Saboo, 1991

Clifford L. Dochterman, 1992

Carlo Ravizza, 1999

Frank J. Devlyn, 2000

Richard D. King, 2001

Jonathan Majiyagbe, 2003

 

We express sincere appreciation to the following Rotarians whose efforts produced this brief history:

Robert Stuckrath, North Boroughs, deceased

Historian Paul Elder, PDG - Turtle Creek, deceased

Niles Norman, PDG - Bethel St. Clair, deceased

Connie Milroth, PDG – Pittsburgh, deceased

Louis E. Evans - formerly of Pittsburgh, deceased

Ralph S. Ellis, PDG, Carnegie

Louis Piconi, PRIVP/PDG – Bethel-St. Clair

Jon Maurer, PDG - Mt. Lebanon Sunrise

THE ROTARY CLUBS OF DISTRICT 7300

1910    Pittsburgh

1914    McKeesport

1919    Beaver Falls

1921    Aliquippa

1921    Ambridge

1922    Wilkinsburg

1924    Carnegie

1924    Clairton-Glassport

1925    Turtle Creek

1926    Sharpsburg-Aspinwall

1927    Oakmont

1928    Braddock

1928    Dormont-Mt. Lebanon

1928    Swissvale

1937    McKees Rocks

1938    New Kensington

1942    North Boroughs

1944    Oakland

1945    Pittsburgh East

1946    Highlands

1947    Beaver

1947    Forest Hills

1947    Lawrenceville

1947    New Brighton

1947    Penn Hills

1949    Crafton-Ingram

1951    Millvale

1952    Bridgeville

1952    Etna-Shaler

1953    Duquesne-West Mifflin – South Hills

1954    Bethel-St. Clair

1955    Monroeville

1955    Elizabeth

1955    Moon Township

1956    Pleasant Hills

1970    Fox Chapel

1972    Churchill

1972    Parkway West

1982    Steel Valley

1983    Green Tree

1984    Three Rivers

1985    Hampton

1987    Allegheny Valley

1987    Quaker Valley

1988    McCandless

1988    Upper-St. Clair-Bethel Park Breakfast

1989    Burrell

1990    Mt. Lebanon- Sunrise

1996    Bethel Park

2000    Monroeville Sunrise

2002    Two Rivers