History Overview

The idea of starting a Rotary Club in Kenosha was first proposed by Cecil Harris, brother of the founder of Rotary International, Paul Harris of Racine.  

Cecil came to Kenosha to visit with George Taylor and to interest him in the idea of forming a Rotary Club.  (Our George Taylor Scholarship is funded by the Taylor family to this day.)

Taylor in turn approached four other Kenosha businessmen:  Walter J. Frost of the Frost Company, Walter T. Marlatt of the Kenosha News, E.J. Geittman a car dealer, and E.L. Shippee of  Wisconsin Electric.  The Kenosha Rotary Clubwas chartered on April 1, 1921, with 25 members and George Taylor as president.