Benevolent & Protective Order of Elks
From open-encyclopedia.com - the free encyclopedia.
- Elks redirects here. For other meanings, see Elk.
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.
