Greetings from Chicago’s North Shore!

City of Evanston

Evanston, Ill. is home to Northwestern University and Rotary International—two premier world institutions. Incorporated in 1863 as a once-upon-a-time pioneer township that today boasts a population of about 75,000 people.

The city has one of the most ethnically diverse populations in America for its size. It also has been a social justice incubator for issues relating to women’s suffrage and people of color. It is now the first American city to institute a reparations program for slavery.

Prior to white settlement in the 1830s, Evanston was a large swathe of wetland and swamp. Regional tribes like the Potawatomi had “highway” trails along the north-south geographical ridges parallel to the shoreline.

Several Evanston villages (Town of Evanston, Village of North Evanston, and Village of South Evanston) were named after John Evans, a former governor of Colorado and co-founder of Northwestern University. Unfortunately, Evans is part of a dark American history. He was forced to step down as governor in 1865 for his role in the Sand Creek massacre of indigenous Cheyenne and Arapaho people—mostly women and children.

The town and villages were combined and was incorporated as an Illinois city in 1892.

Rotary comes to Evanston

After moving from several rented office spaces in Chicago since 1910, delegates at the 1920 convention made its first official resolution to purchase property to serve as headquarters. It was not passed but a version was reintroduced in 1928.

In 1943, the dream of an organization-owned headquarters finally saw movement when a committee for that purpose was gaveled into session. The 1944 convention approved a measure to find a place outside Chicago.

Denver, Co. almost became headquarters until a strong lobby of members appealed to the club’s roots in Chicago—as well as its status as an international economic and transportation hub. Denver’s nomination ended at the 1947 convention in favor of a Chicago-area choice.

In the summer of 1952, there was a quick move to purchase land at 1600 Ridge Ave. at Davis St.

But the growth of Rotary matched the eventual growth of staff—and the Ridge Ave. location became too small. It would leave the building for another. The old headquarters is now the present home of the Northwestern University Police Department.

In 1987, the truly international organization bought a high-rise building in downtown Evanston on Sherman Ave. at Grove St.—present-day One Rotary Center.

The home clubs

Three chapters of Rotary International consider Evanston, Ill. home and consider themselves the hometown clubs. Older than Evanston Nouveau are Rotary Club of Evanston and the Evanston Lighthouse Rotary Club.