From an unknown Rotarian on the founding of the Mason City Noon Rotary Club ... may have been written around the mid-1990's?
"In 1883 a community was formed and was tentatively named 'Masonville'. When postal service was initiated, it was discovered that this name was used by another community, therefore the leaders of the community chose the name 'Mason City' in 1885. By the year 1914, Mason City had grown to approximately 17,000 people including 400 business and professional offices.
At the close of 1914, Hugh Shepard, a Mason City attorney, had a desire to form a Rotary Club in his town. He contacted a long time friend, E. J. Carroll, of the Davenport Rotary Club for information. He was referred to Chesley R. Perry, Secretary of the International Association of Rotary Clubs. After much correspondence, Mr. Perry advised that Mason City was too small of a town to have a Rotary Club so the matter was dropped.
Mr. Shepard kept in touch with John O. Knutson of Sioux City, who was the District Governor of the 10th District of Rotary. He eventually was invited to attend a meeting of the Cedar Rapids Rotary Club. On May 5, 1916, John Gordon Jr., of the Cedar Rapids Rotary Club came to Mason City for the organizational meeting held at the Cerro Gordo Hotel. This meeting was attended by leaders of businesses and professional people. There were 22 men who agreed to join the new club. Officers were elected and an application was submitted to the parent organization, which at the time was known as the International Association of Rotary Clubs. Today it is known as Rotary International and the Mason City Noon Rotary Club has 130 members.
The new club chose the Cerro Gordo Hotel as its first meeting place. Over the years other luncheon meeting places were the Soda Grill, the Mason City Chamber of Commerce, the Globe-Gazette, the Hanford Hotel, the Sheraton Motor Inn, the Prime N' Wine, and now meets at the Hanford Inn.
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