Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks
The
Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks had modest beginnings in
1868 as a drinking club (then called the "Jolly Corks") established as a private club to elude
New York City laws governing the opening hours of public taverns. It has since evolved into a major
American fraternal, charitable, and service club with over a million members throughout the nation.
An interesting physical artifact of the order is the number of communal cemetery plots once favored by the group. Often these are marked with impressive statuary.
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