On August 23, 1937, the Seattle Rotary Club (the fourth club established by Rotary) chartered the Kirkland Rotary Club with 41 members. Kirkland was the 120th club to be chartered, and early meetings in the American Legion Hall involved building of acquaintances, developing attendance within our club, and with not so easily reached other local clubs, none of which existed on the Eastside. Intercity meetings were popular and it was customary for visiting clubs to put on the program for the host club.

     Meeting facilities were scarce during the war years, but a community building for war housing near the Houghton ship yards was used until the Crabapple Restaurant opened in Bellevue and Monday evening meetings started early in 1946. Meeting in Bellevue signaled the need for new clubs on the east side of Lake Washington. Conversations with Bothell business people resulted in the Northshore Club being chartered on April 14, 1958. Subsequent planning resulted in Bellevue Rotary being chartered on March 17, 1961. The Kirkland club went on to establish Rotary clubs on Mercer Island, in Redmond, and in Issaquah.

      After a long period of meetings at the Flame Restaurant in Kirkland, and other locations, the Kirkland Club is now located at Carillon Point in the Woodmark Hotel. Meetings are held on Monday night as established years ago in Bellevue at the Crabapple Restaurant.

By Jerry Marsh