On February 16, 1868, the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE) was founded in New York City.
The story of the Elks begins on November 15, 1867, when British comic singer Charles A. Vivian arrived in New York. That night, he visited the Star Hotel and met piano player Richard R. Steirly. Vivian offered to sing a few songs with Steirly and the two became fast friends.
Steirly soon introduced Vivian to his friends and fellow entertainers and they spent much of their free time together drinking and playing games. Vivian introduced the group to a game of corks, in which they dropped their corks on the bar and picked them up as quickly as possible, with the last to pick his up buying the drinks. The game proved popular among the group and they eventually became known as the Jolly Corks.
That December, one of their friends, Ted Quinn, passed away, leaving his wife and children impoverished. Group member George McDonald suggested that the Jolly Corks should become a protective and benevolent society, complete with rules and regulations, rituals, and a new name. Vivian suggested The Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffalos, a British organization. However, the rest of the group wanted something entirely American.
Members of the group then visited the Cooper Institute Library where they read the description of the elk: “fleet of foot, timorous of doing wrong, but ever ready to combat in defense of self or of the female of the species.” They thought this was fitting and suggested the elk for the group name.
In a meeting on February 16, 1868, the Jolly Corks assembled and voted eight to seven to become the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. In addition to the library’s description, they chose the elk because it was “a readily identifiable creature of stature, indigenous to America.”
From its simple beginnings, the Elks Lodge has grown into a major service organization with more than one million members in over 1,900 lodges. They provide for youth programs such as Boy and Girl Scouts, Little League, and Special Olympics. They also assist in medical programs for children and veterans. The Elks have given disaster relief to affected communities since the Chicago fire of 1871.
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is one of the oldest and largest fraternal organizations in America. During its long history, the Elks have contributed more than $2.69 billion in cash, goods, and services to America’s youth, its veterans, the disadvantaged and handicapped, and in support of patriotic and civic programs. Elks headquarters are located at Elks National Memorial Building in Chicago, Illinois.
Click here to visit the Elks website.
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Never knew how the Elks started. What a great history lesson.
Wonderful story. Thank you.
I have heard many times about the Elks. Their history I never knew, until now. Thank you Mystic for this wonderful post.
The detail provided in this Mystic article about Corregidor and the US retake of it from Japan during their fierce attacks and complete destructions in the Pacific during WW II is both reminding and updating. To realize how notorious and deadly, fighting the Japanese was, is important. The American soldiers had to kill almost every single Japanese soldier they faced because the Japanese were NOT going to surrender unless somehow they got trapped and had NO choice whatsoever. The Japanese included intensely focused deliberate suicide actions if that was needed to destroy their enemies in combat. Mystic, you always provide great articles and leads! Thank you.