Welcome to beautiful Western Maine!

                Farminton Rotary Club History                

                                        By Paul Mills

   The Farmington Rotary Club was chartered in the spring of 1925, its initial charter date having been April 25, 1925 at the so-called “new” Odd Fellows Hall on Broadway, a building which today is home to the “Outskirts” clothing store.   At  that time over 135 invited guests joined the original 19 charter members, delegations being sent from Skowhegan, Waterville, Gardiner, Augusta, Lewiston, and Portland. The Skowhegan contingent was supplemented by a fife and drum corps, the banquet having been served by the Baptist Church Ladies Group and music supplied by the Old South Church Ensemble.

        The presentation of the charter was made by District Governor. Herbert C. Libby of Waterville, a distinguished Colby College professor. 

        The 19 original charter members included our first President, Farmington High School principal Myron C. Hamer, later a distinguished mathematician and Wilbert G. Mallett for whom today (2006) no fewer than two public buildings in Farmington are now named, Mr. Mallett having then been the head of the institution now known as the University of Maine at Farmington.

         Another founding member was Sumner P. Mills, grandfather to our incoming President, Paul H. Mills.

       In the early years of the club it met at the prestigious Exchange Hotel which was razed a number of years later (the site is now occupied by the loan offices of Franklin Savings Bank.)  From about 1940 through the mid-1980s the club met at the downstairs vestry of the Old North Church.  It was always a Thursday evening dining club until about 20 years ago when it shifted to a breakfast time.

      In the early years the annual club dues were $25.  Early projects included the construction of four road signs, safety signs for school areas, a boys outing and picnic on Mosher Hill, Christmas boxes of fruits, candy, nuts and toys, the purchase of a $50.00 health bond for the County Health Network and support for the fundraising activities then underway for the construction of the first Franklin Memorial Hospital.      

        In the early 1960s it lead the fundraising drive to build the Hippach Field wading pool has since that time been a service to the youth of the community.

Web page created by Melanie Farmer 2006