Club History

The spark to introduce Rotary to Salinas came from Homer T. Hayward in 1920. Salinas was a small rural center of about 5,000 people. The Jeffrey Hotel stood at the northeast corner of
Main and Alisal Streets, and at the counter and booths, the business and politics of the day were discussed by the small number of business and professional men of the town. The Evans family electric shop was across Main in a single story wooden building. Farmers Mercantile farm equipment repair shop was on Salinas Street and opened onto Alisal. On Alisal, an earth floored blacksmith shop was a couple stones throwaway from Main in an unpainted plank building.

Another stones throwaway was Phillips Candy Store with its copper pots and the sweet aroma created by the valley’s candy maker.
In 1920, in the office of Hayward Lumber Company, Homer Hayward wrote to the District Governor of Rotary for permission to organize a Rotary Club in Salinas. The request was denied on the grounds that Salinas was too small. The District Governor expressed what was the policy of Rotary, that a community so small could not support the membership requirements of Rotary, and the presence of such a service club would promote jealousy in a small pool of business and professional men.

The Long Beach Rotary Club, where Homer Hayward had been a member, encouraged him to continue his efforts, and assisted by sending a member, George Lushly, to Sacramento to talk
personally to the District Governor. The plea produced a cautious response. The District Governor asked San Jose Rotary to investigate, and an Ernest Billwiller made a private and secret survey of the Salinas potential. His recommendation was favorable, and in 1921, the District Governor recommended that Rotary International grant a charter in the little town of Salinas.
At that time, Rotary had not spread beyond the larger cities, and a charter had never been granted in a city of 5,000. Rotary International, therefore, felt compelled to make its survey and to reevaluate its policy. A charter was issued and Ernest Billwiller was authorized to appoint a membership committee.

The committee consisted of William Jeffrey, Frank Heple and Homer Hayward. Bill Jeffrey was the proprietor of the Jeffrey Hotel and Restaurant. In the early years he had driven the horse drawn stage from Salinas to Tassajara Hot Springs. Frank Heple was in the automobile business, located where the underpass park is by the railroad and Main Street. He later became the city clerk. Homer T. Hayward was the founder ofthe lumber yard business still carried on by his grandson.
The first meeting of the Salinas Rotary Club was held April 29, 1922. Seventeen persons met to initiate Rotary to Salinas and to carry the following classifications: Homer T. Hayward,
Lumber; William Jeffrey, Hotel; Charles Melander, Hardware; Frank Heple, Garage; Dan Madiera, Florist; David Goodfriend, Jeweler; Alex Anderson, Saddlery; lA. Dietrich, Creamery; H.G. Corbaley, Automobiles; Grice Thurlby, Dry Goods; Tom Edwards, Physician; Paul Parker, Publisher; Jim Pollard, Gas and Electric; Ed Rossi, Auto Repairs; J.A. Tancock, Clergyman; Fred Weybert, Publisher; Lew Trumbell, Oil Pipe Line.

The oil pipe line and pumping station located near Hilltown Bridge are gone. The Jeffrey Hotel has been replaced. The earth floored blacksmith shop is now an office. The saddlery with its
full-size model horse and smell of leather is gone; and so are the founders. But much is left. The spirit of fellowship and the idealism of Rotary flows throughout the community, spreading like water on green crops.

By: Jim Leach, President, 1974-75