The Founders of the Yakima Rotary Club
This picture was taken October 27, 1919 (probably at The Commercial Hotel) in Yakima, Washington.  The group of local businessmen met to discuss the possibility of forming a Rotary Club in Yakima.  The decision was made about a week later, on Monday, November 3, an organizational meeting was held, and the club was chartered on December 1, 1919.
 
Approximately half of the men in this picture became Rotarians along with several more, making the required 25 charter members
 
The original of this picture is in the archives at the Yakima Valley Museum.  Two notes on the back of the original are reproduced here as well.  One note describes how the picture came to be preserved and the other is a partial list of names of those in the picture.
 
One note reads:
“This photo was given to me in 1941, soon after I joined Yakima Rotary Club.  Fred Eberle, a charter member of the club gave it to me, and at the time said the picture was historical, in a sense it was the first meeting of Yakima Rotary, because a few influencers, sold on the idea of Rotary and desirous of forming a club contacted a small group to discuss it.
 
It was the spark that touched off the formation of the club.  Not all in the picture joined the club however.
Those identified are listed on the back of the picture.
                                                                                    Joe Evans
                                                                                    October 28, 1971
The club might better to stick it in a minute’s book”
 
Names of those identified in the picture
Back Row
?
Wayne Richardson     
Wm. B. Dudley   
Fred Kappleman       
Steve Gardner           
            Boyelle  
            Locke             
Fred Plath     
Frank Sharkey      
            Hull                                        
Mark Stubbs
Howard Waterbury
Fred Eberle
Front Row
Orpheus Soots
Bill Hill
Lawrence Dash
William N. Irish
Bob Rundstrum
Col. Robertson
Ben Perham
Arthur Aves
William B. Auda
Frank Horsley