Overview

Downtown Rotary is the oldest and largest Rotary Club in South Dakota. It was started on July 1, 1915, at the Cataract Hotel by 42 business leaders who wished to have a place to socialize weekly. They were introduced to the new International Rotary organization started by Paul Harris in Chicago in 1905. After realizing they had the same business ethics and standards as Rotary International, they joined Rotary International and formed the "Sioux Falls Rotary Chapter". Rotary International is the world’s premier service organization; the Sioux Falls Downtown Club is among the 40 largest Rotary Clubs in the world.