Background

The organizational structure has seen many changes over the years, each change being developed to help manage the progressive expansion of the idea of Rotary as it spread though the United States, Canada, The British Isles and the World. [See the Rotary Club of Marquette website.]

The genesis of every club can be traced back to the February 23, 1905 organization of the Rotary Club of Chicago, retroactively given Charter #1. Since that time, each new Rotary Club has been sponsored by an existing Rotary Club or its representative. [The genesis of every current District of Rotary International can also be traced back to the need to provide major groupings and governing of club areas. See section of D-6220 History.] Charters were not issued by The International Association until June 2, 1913 and were retroactively given with Charter numbers to clubs that were organized and accepted before then, using the order in which they were organized. On July, 1951, Rotary International ceased issuing Charter numbers. [Club numbers that appear in the Directory or the Semi-Annual reports are ID numbers, not charter numbers.]

D-6220 Original Charter Numbers, Dates & Sponsors collected by Pryse Duerfeldt, D- 6220 PDG, from Club & District Histories, Rotarian magazines scanned by Google Books, RI Archives, RGHF archives & many personal contacts. Updates welcome. [NA= No Charter numbers were issued after July 1951.] 8/1/2011

Wausau, WI #136, 1/1/1915, sponsored by Milwaukee, WI #57* [admitted under Central Divisional VP W.D. Biggers of Detroit, see Rotarian, 7/1915, pp. 12-14. See Anuta p.67 under 1921-22 DG: “Deputy District Governor” Zimmers of Milwaukee presented the charter. See note.*]

• Sponsored Merrill, WI, #231, 7/1/1916
• Sponsored Wisconsin Rapids, WI, #501, 6/17/1919 [club was re-sponsored by Appleton in 1971]
• Sponsored Marshfield, WI, #522, 8/1/1919
• Marshfield sponsored Marshfield Sunrise, WI, #NA, 1993
• Sponsored Rhinelander, WI #677, 4/1/1920
• Rhinelander sponsored Crandon, WI #1726, about June 1924 See Rhinelander
• Sponsored Wausau Early Birds, WI #NA, 1/1/1993

Marquette, MI #204, 3/1/1916, sponsored by Superior, #40**

• Sponsored Menominee, MI #363, 3/1/1918
• Sponsored Sault Ste. Marie, MI #438, 1/1/1919
• Sault Ste. Marie, MI sponsored Chippewa County Sunrise, MI, April 23, 2002
• Sponsored Escanaba, MI #682, 5/1/1920
• Escanaba sponsored Gladstone, MI #973, 5/1/1921
• Sponsored Houghton, MI #774, 11/1/1920
• Sponsored Iron Mt., MI #860, 4/1/1921
• Sponsored Hancock, MI #866, 4/1/1921
• Sponsored Crystal Falls, MI #933, 5/1/1921 [defunct 12/19/2007]
• Sponsored Manistique, MI #1347, 2/10/1923
• Sponsored Munising, MI #2334, 5/3/1926
• Helped organize Ontonagon, MI #1567, 4/18/1932, sponsored by ??; added White Pine 10/1966[This charter #1567 was originally assigned to Prestonburg, KY - Rotarian 2/1924,p.42 - which went out of commission soon afterward and was reassigned to Ontonagon. The current Prestonburg club was begun in 1986.]
• Sponsored Ishpeming, MI #4423, 10/16/1937
• Sponsored Marquette West, MI, #NA, 3/26/1984
• Marquette West sponsored Marquette Breakfast, MI, #NA, 3/20/1991

Merrill, WI #231, 7/1/1916, sponsored by Wausau. [Sometime after 5/1933, their charter was revoked because of the Depression. They were readmitted 5/7/1937.]

Green Bay, WI #279, 3/1/1917, sponsored by ??????

• Sponsored Marinette, WI #425, 10/1/1918
• Sponsored Manitowoc, WI #502, 6/17/1919
• Manitowoc sponsored Two Rivers, WI, #1341, 2/8/1923
• Sponsored Sturgeon Bay, WI #728, 5/1/1920
• Sturgeon Bay sponsored Kewanee, WI #1720, 4/15/1924
• Sturgeon Bay sponsored Sturgeon Bay Breakfast, WI, #NA, 2/17/1992
• Sponsored Antigo, WI #1346, 2/10/1923
• Sponsored Shawano, WI #1543, 11/3/1923
• Shawano sponsored Bonduel, WI #6065, 8/9/1945
• Sponsored De Pere, WI #2295, 3/22/1926
• Sponsored Green Bay West, WI #NA, 4/22/1974
• Sponsored Gillett-Oconto Falls, WI #NA, [but RI Archives say Shawano so Green Bay may have organized it and ‘passed it off’ to Shawano] 5/20/1977; [defunct 6/17/1991]
• Sponsored Packerland Sunrise, WI, #NA, 12/16/2010

Appleton, WI #288, 4/1/1917, sponsored by ??? [Dick Calder noted sponsor was Pittsburgh, PA #20, but the Pittsburgh club says NO]

• Sponsored New London, WI #1212, 6/1/1922
• New London sponsored Clintonville, WI #1848, 11/28/1924
• Clintonville sponsored Marion, WI #2678, 10/17/1927
• Sponsored Kaukauna, WI #1357, 2/24/1923
• Sponsored Berlin, WI #1542, 11/1/1923
• Sponsored Neenah, WI #2013, 5/29/1925
• Neenah sponsored Menasha, WI, #2376, 6/9/1926[RI says Appleton sponsored]
• Sponsored Appleton West, WI #NA, 9/28/1970
• Sponsored Wisconsin Rapids, WI, #NA, 1971[original club #501, organized 6/17/1919, sponsored by Wausau]
• Sponsored Appleton Breakfast, WI #NA, 10/21/1985
• Sponsored Waupaca Breakfast, WI #NA, 1/22/1993
• Sponsored Kurgan, Russia, #NA, 2008 (Sister City of Appleton)

Stevens Point, WI #293, 5/1/1917, sponsored by Duluth [Rotarian, 2/1917,p.148]

• Sponsored Greater Portage Co., WI, #NA, 2/17/2004

Menominee, MI #363, 3/1/1918, sponsored by Marquette

Marinette, WI #425, 10/1/1918, sponsored by Green Bay

Rhinelander, WI #677, 4/1/1920, sponsored by Wausau

• Sponsored Crandon, WI #1726, about April 1924
• Crandon sponsored Eagle River, WI #2874, 5/23/1928
• Eagle River sponsored Phelps, WI, #3287, 7/28/1930 [charter presentation date]
• Eagle River sponsored Three Lakes, WI, #3443, 4/28/1931 [charter presentation date]
• Eagle River sponsored Lakeland (Minocqua), WI, #NA, 4/12/1974
• Lakeland sponsored Minocqua-Lakeland Area Breakfast, #NA, 8/9/1995

Escanaba, MI #682, 5/1/1920, sponsored by Marquette

• Sponsored Gladstone, MI #973, 5/1/1921

Sturgeon Bay, WI #728, 5/1/1920, sponsored by Green Bay

• Sponsored Kewaunee, WI #1720, 4/15/1924
• Sponsored Sturgeon Bay Breakfast, WI, #NA, 2/17/1992
• Sponsored Door County North (Baileys Harbor, WI) #NA, 12/16/2010

Houghton, MI #774, 11/1/1920, sponsored by Marquette

• Possibly sponsored Neillsville, WI, #5413, 8/1941

Hancock, MI #866, 4/1/1921, sponsored by Marquette

• Sponsored Calumet, MI #7415, 1/13/1950

Iron Mt., MI #860, 4/1/1921, sponsored by Marquette; added Kingsford 11/8/1975

Crystal Falls, MI #933, 5/1/1921, sponsored by Marquette [defunct 12/19/2007]

Ironwood, MI #966, 5/1/1921, sponsored by Ashland #588 [Ashland sponsored by Superior #40, see **]; added Hurley 7/28/2005

• Sponsored Bessemer, MI #1731, 1924
• Sponsored Wakefield, MI #3260, 1/2/1930; added Bessemer 5/6/1975

Gladstone, MI #973, 5/1/1921, sponsored by Escanaba, defunct 10/1/1999

New London, WI #1212, 6/1/1922, sponsored by Appleton

• Sponsored Clintonville, WI #1848, 11/28/1924
• Clintonville sponsored Marion, WI #2678, 10/17/1927

Antigo, WI #1346, 2/10/1923, sponsored by Green Bay

Manistique, MI #1347, 2/10/1923, sponsored by Marquette

Kaukauna, WI, #1357, 2/24/1923, sponsored by Appleton

Berlin, WI #1542, 10/1923, sponsored by Appleton

Shawano, WI #1543, 11/3/1923, sponsored by Green Bay

• Sponsored Bonduel, WI #6065, 8/9/1945

Kewaunee, WI #1720, 4/15/1924, sponsored by Sturgeon Bay

Bessemer, MI #1731, late April-early May 1924, sponsored by Ironwood, joined with Wakefield 5/6/1975

Clintonville, WI #1848, 11/28/1924, sponsored by New London

• Sponsored Marion, WI #2678, 10/17/1927

Neenah, WI #2013, 5/29/1925, sponsored by Appleton

• Sponsored Menasha, WI, #2376, abt.7/1926

De Pere, WI #2295, 3/22/1926, sponsored by Green Bay

Munising, MI #2334, 5/3/1926, sponsored by Marquette [In Rotarian, 10/1926, p.55]

Marion, WI #2678, 10/17/1927, sponsored by Clintonville

Eagle River, WI #2874, 5/23/1928, sponsored by Crandon [Crandon, WI #1726, was sponsored by Rhinelander]

• Sponsored Phelps, WI, #3287, 3/3/1930 [RI] 7/28/1930[charter presentation date]
• Sponsored Three Lakes, WI, #3443, 4/20/1931[RI] 4/28/1931[charter presentation date] [Rotarian 11/1931,p.38 says ‘but a few month old’]
• Sponsored Lakeland (Minocqua), WI, #NA, 4/12/1974
• Lakeland sponsored Minocqua-Lakeland Area Breakfast, #NA, 8/9/1995

Wakefield, MI #3260, 1/2/1930, sponsored by Ironwood; added Bessemer 5/6/1975

Ontonagon, MI #1567, 4/18/1932, sponsored by Marquette & ??; added White Pine 10/1966 [This charter #1567 was originally assigned to Prestonburg, KY - Rotarian 2/1924,p.42 - which went out of commission soon afterward and was reassigned to Ontonagon. The current Prestonburg club was begun in 1986.]

Merrill, WI #231, 7/1/1916, sponsored by Wausau; sometime after 5/1933, their charter was revoked because of the Depression. They were readmitted 5/7/1937.]

Ishpeming, MI #4423, 10/16/1937, sponsored by Marquette

Bonduel, WI #6065, 8/9/1945, sponsored by Shawano; defunct 5/25/1999

Calumet, MI #7415, 1/13/1950, sponsored by Hancock; added Keweenaw 8/23/1994

Appleton West, WI #NA, 9/28/1970, sponsored by Appleton

Lakeland (Minocqua), WI #NA, 4/12/1974, sponsored by Eagle River

• Sponsored Minocqua-Lakeland Area Breakfast, #NA, 8/9/1995

Green Bay West, WI #NA, 4/22/1974, sponsored by Green Bay

Gillett-Oconto Falls, WI #NA, 5/20/1977, sponsored by Green Bay [but RI Archives say Shawano] [defunct 6/17/1991]

Marquette West, MI #NA, 3/26/1984, sponsored by Marquette

• Sponsored Marquette Breakfast, #NA, 3/20/1991

Appleton Breakfast, WI #NA, 10/21/1985, sponsored by Appleton

Marquette Breakfast, MI #NA, 3/20/1991, sponsored by Marquette West

Sturgeon Bay Breakfast, WI #NA, 2/17/1992, sponsored by Sturgeon Bay

Wausau Early Birds, WI #NA, 1/1/1993, sponsored by Wausau

Waupaca Breakfast, WI #NA, 1/22/1993, sponsored by Appleton

Minocqua-Lakeland Area Breakfast, WI #NA, 8/9/1995, sponsored by Lakeland

Greater Portage Co., WI #NA, 2/17/2004, sponsored by Stevens Point

Packerland Sunrise, (Howard, WI) #NA, 12/16/2010, sponsored by Green Bay

Door County North (Baileys Harbor, WI) #NA, 6/16/2011, sponsored by Sturgeon Bay

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*Wausau, WI, founded “through the cooperation of the Milwaukee Rotary Club” -- the first charter to a club in a city with a population under 25,000 -- W.J. Zimmers of Milwaukee presented the charter acting as “Deputy District Governor”. [Anuta, p.67]; Milwaukee, #57, was organized 3/1/1913 and sponsored by Chicago #1. [Note: there were several other clubs that were founded earlier in lower population areas. In 1913-14, the Central Division VP was using 10,000 as the recommended minimum.]

In 1947 all of the past presidents of the Wausau club were invited by club historian R.G. Sayer to attend a ‘Past Presidents Founders Day.’ Alfred H. Zimmerman, their first club president [1914-1915] and D-15 PDG replied in a long letter that he would be unable to attend and provided some club history. Part of that letter included the following: "The founding of the Wausau Rotary Club was conceived in the mind of Art Prehn – who had considerable correspondence with W.D. Biggers, District Governor, of Detroit, Mich. Rotary International had the idea that small cities would not support and maintain a Rotary Club. Through the cooperation of the Milwaukee Rotary Club – the club went through a schooling and finally International Rotary granted the first charter to any club in a city having a population less that 25,000 to Wausau. The evening the charter was presented 24 fellows sat at dinner at the Bellis Hotel, with W.J. Zimmers of Milwaukee acting as Deputy District Governor."" Based on this letter we attribute the sponsorship of Wausau to Milwaukee, even though the rationale given by Zimmerman was in error.

**Note: Superior, WI, #40, 5/1/1912 [Organized] was sponsored by Duluth, MN, #25, 7/17/1911 [Organized]. Duluth was co-sponsored by Minneapolis, MN, #9, 2/18/1910 [Organized] and St. Paul, MN. #10, 2/19/1910 [Organized] and both Minneapolis and St. Paul were sponsored by Chicago, IL, #1, with Paul Harris as the representative at their formal organizational meetings [this was prior to actual charters being issued].