A Royal Reception for Seattle's Foresters in Tacoma
Members of the Ancient Order of Foresters take a steamer to Tacoma for an evening of music, speeches, and hospitality.
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The past week has been one of especial interest to the Ancient Order of Foresters both in this city and Tacoma. On Tuesday evening the steamer Fleetwood carried a large number of the members and their lady friends of Court Enterprise, of this city, to enjoy the hospitality of Courts Tacoma and Benjamin, of Tacoma. Upon landing at Tacoma a delegation met the Seattle contingent and escorted them to the Elks' hall, corner of Twelfth and A streets, where they were entertained in a royal manner. The exercises consisted of vocal and instrumental music, recitations and an enthusiastic speech by Grand Chief Ranger Channell, giving in detail the history of the order and its wonderful growth, especially in the Pacific Northwest, and dwelling in a special manner upon the events of the order, closing with an earnest exhortation to the brothers of Tacoma to place their shoulders to the wheel and work harder than ever for the benefit of a noble order. The ladies served ice cream, strawberries and cake in a bountiful manner, after which speeches of encouragement were listened to from Mr. J. W. Spriggs, Mr. G. M. Stewart, Dr. I. C. Neville and the Rev. J. M. Hughes. The return trip was made at midnight, arriving at Seattle about 2:30 a. m.
“Escorted them to the Elks' hall... where they were entertained in a royal manner.”
In the 1890s, fraternal orders like the Foresters were central to social life, acting as both a support network and a primary source of community entertainment. Today, these social clubs have largely been replaced by more modern civic and digital communities, but the practice of city-to-city social exchanges remains a feature of PNW regional connectivity.
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