THE HOME
More than a house, the Harris Home represents the power of human connection
Here, conversations around a dining table, gatherings by the fireside, and friendships cultivated across cultures demonstrated that meaningful change often begins with relationships.
The home invites visitors to experience the values that continue to define Rotary today: Service, Fellowship, Diversity, Integrity, and Leadership.
Fireside Room Interior – May 2022
Fireside Room interior at the Harris Home in May 2022.
PURPOSE
Preserving a legacy for future generations
HISTORY
A House with a Global Story
Paul Harris founded Rotary in Chicago in 1905 after experiencing the isolation of city life. Five years later, he married Jean Thomson, a woman who had immigrated from Edinburgh, Scotland. In 1912, the couple purchased their Morgan Park home and named it Comely Bank after Jean’s childhood neighborhood in Edinburgh.
Over the next 35 years, the home became much more than a private residence. As Rotary expanded across continents, the Harris Home evolved into an unofficial center of international friendship.
Explore the History
VISIT COMELY BANK
Experience the Home That Welcomed the World
A visit to the Paul & Jean Harris Home offers a unique opportunity to step inside the personal world of Rotary’s founder and his marriage partner, Jean.
- Historic residence and grounds of Paul & Jean Harris
- Exhibits highlighting the Harrises’ travels and international friendships
- The Friendship Tree tradition and its symbolic impact
INSIDE THE HOME
Explore the rooms, objects, and views preserved at Comely Bank
PAUL & JEAN HARRIS LEGACY SOCIETY
A transformational investment in the Home’s future
The Paul & Jean Harris Legacy Society recognizes an exclusive group of visionary individuals, families, foundations, corporations, and Rotary groups whose transformational support ensures that the story and values of Paul and Jean Harris will inspire generations to come.
Legacy Society members are among a select group who contribute leadership gifts of $250,000 or more to enhance the Paul and Jean Harris Home.
SUPPORT THE MISSION
Help ensure that this extraordinary place remains open, accessible, and inspiring for generations to come
Through charitable contributions, planned-giving, sponsorships, and volunteer engagement, supporters help ensure that this extraordinary place remains open, accessible, and inspiring for generations to come.
