The first real seeds in the formation of the Rotary Club of Michigan City were planted on September 15, 1915. Walter H. Mellor, a local jeweler, was appointed chairman of a local organizing committee by national Rotary President, Allen D. Albert. Walter Mellor received his commission on the same day from the District Governor, C. Angster, of Chicago. Mellor then created a secret committee of five men who passed judgement on 40 local retail trade men, professional men, and manufacturers in a variety of vocations. Of these 40 nominees, 23 received  unanimous approval from the committee.

Two subsequent meetings of elected members produced 38 additional nominees. The stage was set for the official organizational meeting that was convened at the Vreeland Hotel on October 19, 1916. 53 of the 59 members at that time attended. Committee Chairman L.W. Keeler, then Superintendent of Schools, read the constitution, and by laws in the form submitted by the International Association and they were adopted with the following additions:
    •       The entrance fee was set at $5.00 and the annual dues at $10.00, including a subscription to The Rotarian.
    •       The meetings were to be conducted at noon on Thursdays, with the exception of one meeting each month, which was to be conducted on Thursday evening.
    •       The allowable number of absences from meetings was set at three.

Officers elected at that organizational meeting were: Walter H. Mellor, President; H.V. Armstrong, Vice- President; Samuel J. Taylor, Secretary; John R. Abbott, Sergeant at Arms; Carter H. Manney, Treasurer; and Fred E. Bartholomew, R.M. Cox, Dr. E.G. Blinks, M.A. Cushman, James H. Orr, C.A. Liddle, and Marvin Karpen, Directors. Karpen, whose family operated a furniture factory here, then introduced the following motion:
"That the Rotary Club of Michigan City make application for affiliation as a member of the International Association of Rotary Clubs, and then, immediately upon their election, the President and Secretary are authorized to prepare and forward the necessary papers for such application."The motion was seconded and carried. Guests at that organizational meeting included Angster, the District Governor; Frank P. Manley, 8th District Governor; and 14 Rotarians from South Bend.

As is indicated by the names of the first officers elected, the eventual 65 charter members of Rotary -- like other members who have followed -- were civic and governmental leaders of the community. Among those charter members, in addition to the officers, were Charles E. Arndt, E.C. Calvert, Albert M. Cartens, J.B. Faulknor, William J. Feallock, O.S. Glidden, J.J. Glasscott, R.F. Garrettson, A.J. Henry, A.C. Heitschmidt, August Korn, Leon Kramer, M. Moritz, Henry Miller, W.B. Manny, C.J. Robb, Dr. J.C. Sawyer, George J. Staiger, Ralph W. Tuthill, George T. Vail, and A.A. Wolf.

On the date of that meeting -- October 19, 1916 -- Michigan City's Evening Dispatch, in writing of the forthcoming organizational session carried the following objectives of a Rotary Club:
    •       "To promote recognition of the worthiness of all legitimate occupations and to dignify each member's occupation as affording him an opportunity to serve society."
    •       "To encourage high ethical standards in business and professions."
    •       "To increase the efficiency of each member by the exchange of ideas and business methods."
    •       "To promote the scientizing of acquaintance as an opportunity for service and an aid to success."
    •       "To quicken the interest of each member in public welfare and to cooperate with others in civic development.”
Today, the object of Rotary is carried in different words, but the ideas embodied in that early recital of its object continue to be the same in spirit.