The first historical mention of a Nome Rotary Club appears in the Rotary International archives in Evanston, Illinois. A Nome club was the subject of a memo, written to RI's Charles M. Dyer by Emery F. Tobin, Secretary of the Ketchikan Rotary Club, on June 13, 1936. At the time, Ketchikan and Juneau were the only two Alaskan cities with Rotary clubs. Tobin wrote: "A leading citizen of Nome, Alaska - Mr. Lomen - recently attended our meeting and expressed the wish that they had a Rotary Club at Nome. But Nome has only about 400 people and is too remote". On July 3rd, a handwritten note was added to the page and initialed "RM." "ETA not spend time on corresponding re: Nome now --" "Round trip by air is approximately $150," wrote "lb" on August 11, 1941, "in extension work which this club is doing (or may be contemplating)..."

Another memo by this "lb," dated August 26, 1941, in connection with a visit by District Governor Dowrey to the Fairbanks club points to the fact that members were looking to initiate clubs in other Alaskan towns, with Nome as the prime candidate. However, the memo states "Nome only town that might support a club but this club (Fairbanks) not sufficiently well under way to attempt sponsorship of a new club."

In 1945, Fairbanks Rotary Club President Frank Gray appointed a committee of C.J. Clasby, Al Polet and George Rayburn to "see about sponsoring a club at Nome." The Fairbanks club was only five years old at the time, having been sponsored by the Rotary Club of Juneau in 1940. The following year, on August 22, 1946, Nome applied for its charter as a Provisional Rotary Club. A report from District Governor Roy J. Fletcher of Centralia, Washington indicated that Bud Harper, owner of Nome Motor Company, was prime mover, with Andy Anderson of Lomen Commercial Company acting Secretary. The two "secured a list of 22 for the charter members."

According to the "Recommendation of District Governor," dated August 22, 1946, Nome Rotary"first major undertaking is directly responsible for Nome getting a new hospital!" Fletcher wrote on August 24th that "there is no question in my mind but what it will be a good club." In his report to Rotary International, Fletcher indicated that he had visited Nome personally. The documents were signed and the $100 fee paid to Rotary International on August 29, 1946. In a letter of October 1st, Fairbanks club President Dan Lhamon quoted Bud Harper that "each Thursday our luncheons are a greater success ....notables? Depending upon your political point of view, have been lunched -- Rotarian Governor (Ernest) Gruening and outside Delegate (Bob) Bartlett (both, later, Alaskans first U.S. Senators) were among them. We generally have at least one out of town guest." According to the application for membership, the population of Nome was 1,559.