While between my feature articles, I decided to take a brief tangent to see what was happening in Capitol Hill this week one hundred years ago. It turns out the Shriners, an international fraternity founded in 1870 and associated with Freemasonry, were having their 41st annual Imperial Council in Seattle.
A whole slew of visiting Shriners were reportedly convinced that the Seattle Shriners had outdone all others in their effort to host the the greatest annual session to date. Most, if not all, local hotels were booked solid--many Shriners stayed in parked trains. Meanwhile many local businesses were selling all kinds of outfits and souvenirs. The festivities featured numerous performances, dances, parades, and exotic animals.
On Capitol Hill, The Seattle Times reports that Volunteer Park was the site of "one of the most noteworthy open air receptions ever tendered in the west" including live music, singing, and a "number of difficult drill sessions" performed by the women of the shrine.
(Images below from Seattle Times unless otherwise noted)
