May 8, 2024
The Rotary Club of Atlanta West End was originally chartered on May 8, 1958. At that time, all members of a club had either to work or live within the geographic limits of the club, and a new club had to have its territory ceded from the existing "invaded" club. The Rotary Club of West End (Atlanta) received its territorial limits from the Rotary Club of Atlanta, which was also the sponsoring or "parent" club. Five Rotarians from the Atlanta club, Leo Aikman, Mark Johnson, Phil Graves, Marshall Weaver and Harry Dunstan provided the guidance and direction for the formation of the new club.
The geographic limits of the West End club ran from Capitol Avenue east and from Marietta Street south to the Atlanta city limits. This area included the former village of West End, so named because it was the western terminus of the railroad from Savannah. West End was incorporated in the city of Atlanta in the 1920s. The “West End” name has thus given rise to some confusion, since the territorial boundaries are in the eastern part of the city of Atlanta.
There were 25 charter members of the West End club, and they are listed in Appendix A. The officers the first year were:
Fred Burns President
C. Fred Eaton, Jr. Vice President
Hugh H. Robinson Secretary
D. W. Huckeba Treasurer
Reuben R. Lawhon Director
William P. Durst Director
The Charter Night Banquet was held on Thursday evening, May 22, 1958, at the Cascade Elks Club. Clark Howell, President of the Rotary Club of Atlanta, presided. President Fred Burns accepted the Charter from Larry Curran of Rome, Georgia, Governor of District 690.