Who We Are
Rotary Club of St. Louis is a community of leaders committed to building relationships, serving others and making a positive impact locally and globally.
Our members represent a wide range of professions, organizations, backgrounds and experiences—but share a belief that we can accomplish more when we work together.
We gather weekly not only to hear from compelling speakers, but to build friendships, create professional connections, discover opportunities to serve and strengthen the St. Louis community.
Our Purpose
We bring people together through service, fellowship, leadership and connection.
Our work is guided by Rotary's enduring principle: Service Above Self
Our Rich History
Founded in 1910, Rotary Club of St. Louis holds the distinction of being Club 11, reflecting our place among Rotary's earliest clubs.
For more than a century, generations of St. Louis leaders have gathered through Rotary to build relationships, serve their community and contribute to Rotary's worldwide movement.
Today, we honor that history by continuing to evolve while remaining committed to the principles that have guided Rotary for generations.
Historical Data
The Rotary Club of St. Louis, known as Club 11, was officially chartered on February 22, 1910, becoming the eleventh Rotary club worldwide. Its story began just a week earlier, on February 15, 1910, when a group of visionary business and professional leaders — Bruno Batt, Fraser Stewart, Werner Hencke, J.K. Jones, and Charles W. Rutledge — gathered to explore bringing Rotary’s ideals to St. Louis.
The club’s permanent organization was established at Old Lippe’s Café, located at Eighth and Olive Streets in downtown St. Louis. The first meeting drew twenty-five business and professional men, all of whom became charter members. Interest spread quickly: by March 1, 1910, membership had grown to 153, and by July 1, it reached 249. The club issued its first printed roster on July 15, 1910, earning national attention for its rapid growth and civic energy.
Leadership shaped the club’s early years. Bruno Batt, the first president, guided the organization through its formative months before his passing, after which Frazer Stewart succeeded him. Despite a brief membership dip during the 1912 depression, Club 11 rebounded and continued to expand, representing nearly every major business and professional classification in St. Louis.
Over the decades, the Rotary Club of St. Louis has remained a cornerstone of civic life. Members have championed community welfare, international understanding, student exchange programs, library support, vocational training, and assistance for individuals with disabilities — living out Rotary’s motto of Service Above Self.
The club’s legacy is preserved through records donated to the State Historical Society of Missouri, documenting its activities from the 1940s through the 1970s. Today, Club 11 continues its proud tradition of fellowship and service, holding weekly meetings in downtown St. Louis, where members gather to exchange ideas, strengthen community ties, and uphold the principles that have guided Rotary for more than a century.
