402 Tacoma 1019 Pacific Avenue, Avenue S., Suite Suite 1216 200 PO Box 1303, TACOMA, WA TACOMA, 98402 WA 98401 PHONE (253) 627-4853 FAX (253) 627-2253
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2014
Vol. CXXIV, No. 38
OFFICIAL NEWSPAPER OF THE CITY OF TACOMA Devoted to the Courts, Real Estate, Finance, Industrial Activities, and Publication of Legal Notices
Published Published Since Since 1890 1890
Visit our Web site at at www.tacomadailyindex.com
City honors Tacoma's Knights of Pythias
Article and File Photos By Todd Matthews, Editor The City of Tacoma formally recognized one of Tacoma's oldest fraternal organizations Tuesday during a brief ceremony at City Hall. Knights of Pythias, a benevolent organization founded in Washington, D.C., by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln and Justus H. Rathbone as a way to address tensions between the North and the South following the Civil War, celebrated its 150th anniversary on Feb. 19, according to organizations officials. Knights of Pythias derives its name from the Greek story of Damon and Pythias, which stresses loyalty, honor, and friendship. Tacoma's Knights of Pythias chapter dates back to 1881 and has been headquartered in a historic building in downtown Tacoma since the structure was constructed 108 years ago by notable architect Frederick Heath. Its membership rolls have included prominent figures in Tacoma history, such as Job Carr, John W. Sprague, and J. M. Junett. The Knights of Pythias Commencement Lodge No. 7, located at 926 Broadway, is listed on Tacoma's Register of Historic Places and the National Register of Historic Places. Seven years ago, Historic Tacoma and the Knights of Pythias were awarded two grants — $1,000 from the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation's Valerie Sivinski Washington Preserves Fund, and $2,000 from the Colonial Dames of Washington (the Knights of Pythias provided $3,000 in matching funds) — to complete restoration work on the orga-
The local chapter of Knights of Pythias is headquartered in a historic 1906 building in downtown Tacoma. Three years ago, Tacoma's Landmarks Preservation Commission honored the fraternal organization with an award for outstanding achievement in historic preservation for its work renovating its original windows and neon sign (pictured above before and after), adaptively re-using its retail space -- which is home to Tacoma Youth Theatre and Seabury Middle School, and hosting historic preservation meetings and workshops in the building. nization's historic building. Three years ago, Tacoma's Landmarks Preservation Commission honored the Knights of Pythias with an award for outstanding achievement in historic preservation for the group's work renovating its original windows and neon sign, adaptively reusing its retail space -- which is home to Tacoma Youth Theatre and Seabury Middle School, and hosting historic preservation meetings and workshops in the building. Last week, Tacoma's Knights of Pythias celebrated the organization's 150th anniversary by opening its doors to the public to screen the 1962 film "Damon and Pythias" and offer tours of Castle Hall. During a city council meeting yesterday, Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland read a proclamation formally recognizing Knights of Pythias' 150th anniversary, and the local chapter's important role -past and present -- in Tacoma.
INSIDE:
LEGAL NOTICES BANKRUPTCIES LIENS ORDERS FEDERAL COURT AUDITORS OFFICE NEW BUSINESSES editor@tacomadailyindex.com
Knights of Pythias Proclamation
On Tuesday, Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland and Tacoma City Council formally recognized the 150th anniversary of Knights of Pythias with the following proclamation: WHEREAS Justice H. Rathbone and STRICKLAND Abraham Lincoln conceived of the notion to form a fraternal brotherhood based on the Greek story of Damon and Pythias based on the ideals of brotherhood and friendship as the way to heal the wounds caused by the Civil War; and WHEREAS the order was founded on February 19, 1864, and chartered by the United States Congress in 1870; and WHEREAS this new fraternal order sought to build friendship through loyalty and truth, to support and teach patriotism, and to extend charity and benevolence to those in need; and WHEREAS the residents of New Tacoma and Old Tacoma join together to establish their own lodges of Pythian brotherhood in the summer of 1881; and WHEREAS the Knights of Pythias Commencement Lodge No. 7 has been the steward of the historic Pythian Temple on Broadway since its construction in 1907 and is currently celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the national organization; Now, therefore, I, Marilyn Strickland, Mayor of the City of Tacoma, on behalf of the City Council, do hereby congratulate and wish to the Knights of Pythias a happy 150th anniversary. "Our current lodge at 926 Broadway was built in 1906 and we continue to serve as faithful stewards of that building, and to our city, by exemplifying our core values of friendship, benevolence and charity," said Knights of Pythias Commencement Lodge No. 7 Vice Chancellor Joel Larson. "We thank you for the recognition today and wish to invite any Tacoman, or anyone else, for that matter, to visit on Monday evenings to our historic lodge and get to know us better." More information is available online at facebook. com/TacomaPythians.