Tripoli
| Photo courtesy of Fire Chief William Stamm, P.P. |
Yesterday
MARCH 9, 1885 Tripoli Gets a Dispensation
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The March 9, 1885 edition of the morning Milwaukee Sentinel predicted the weather in Milwaukee that day as being partly cloudy and reaching a high of 27. But it couldn't have been "sunnier" for seven Milwaukee Masons who petitioned the Imperial Council of the Shrine in late 1884 for a charter authorizing them to organize a new Temple: Judge Henry L. Palmer (33°), C. M. Cottril, H. H. Bracken, S. H. Cole, C. W. Mott, D. McL. Miller and J. W. Ormsby. On March 9, pending the issuance of an actual charter, the Imperial Council granted a Dispensation approving the establishment of a Temple to be known as "Tripoli." A meeting of the new group was convened with temporary officers and fourteen candidates were inducted as charter members, in addition to the seven signers of the petition. Fun and good fellowship were hallmarks of the organization right from the start. A Look at Monday, March 9A few items gleaned from the Monday morning, March 9th, issue of the Milwaukee Sentinel paint a picture of life in early Milwaukee:T. A. Chapman & Co. announced that starting that Monday it was offering 200 dozen Ladies' Brilliant Black Lisle Hose, extra length, at 50¢ per pair, and others at 25¢ a pair. |
| Starting the same Monday, W. W. Rich & Co. was putting
on sale Walking Jackets. Heii\v and Medium Weight, at
$1.75, and Children's Colored Jerseys at from 65¢ to $1. One merchant. Farmers' and Mechanics' Clothing Store, announced that it had just received a large assortment of Confirmation Suits. There was plenty of transportation available. Railroad lines advertising in the March 9 Sentinel included the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul; Chicago & Northwestern; The Central Line; Milwaukee & Northern; and Lakeshore & Western. The F.&P.M.R.R. advertised steamers to Ludington and Manistee. In addition to its daily editions. The Milwaukee Sentinel advertised a weekly edition "for your country friends — a Year's Reading for $1.00." Feature stories in the March 9 edition of the newspaper included "Telling Fortunes — Mysteries Revealed by a Former Sybil," and "Southern Climes — Trip of Milwaukee Ladies to New Orleans." A dentist at the comer of Wisconsin St. and Broadway advertised a full set of teeth for $7 ... gold and silver fillings for $1 ... cleaning teeth for 5W. . . and extracting teeth for 5W — giving vitalized air free to assure extraction without the least pain. One druggist promoted a "positive cure for drunkenness and the liquor habit." An herb bitter compound was claimed to be "the best remedy for kidney and liver complaints, dyspepsia, cramps in the stomach, indigestion, malaria, periodical complaints, etc. As a blood purifier, it has no equal. It tones the system, strengthening, invigorating and giving new life." |
 C. M. Cottrill, one of the original petitioners, was the first Potentate of Tripoli Temple, but served only three months.  Eugene S. Elliott succeeded Cottrill as Potentate. He served from 1885 to 1894 and again in 1898. |
A fuel company located on West Water
St. advertised anthracite and bituminous
coal. As you can see, life in Milwaukee has changed mightily in the 100 years since. Some Things Still the SameShriners have met at noon lunches since the first day the Mystic Shrine was introduced into the United States.Tripoli Nobles were no exception. They met informally in the early days until 1916, when the Caravan Boostin' Club was formed. The first formal meeting was held at the Blatz Hotel since razed. For a number of years, the average attendance at these luncheons was 67. Each week. door prizes were awarded. The prizes were quite different from those awarded today at Tripoli's Friday noon luncheons: Hams, sausages, flour, potatoes, knives, hot water bags, rugs, spices, coffee, tea, trousers, shirtwaists, fancy cloth for a suit of clothes, electric irons, shaving sets, ladies' hats, cigars, pipes, chickens. Percy Braman, the first president of the Caravan Boostin' Club and its president for many years thereafter, was quoted as saying, "One of the greatest pleasures of my existence is to cater to this bunch of real fellows who make life worth living ... a lot of boys who have never forgotten their childhood days — full of life, health and happiness, their glasses flowing over with the foam of good fellowship and brotherly love." Considering the enthusiasm of today's Tripoli Nobles, it seems that nothing has changed — only the cast is different. |
OCTOBER 11, 1926 ... We start building a home of our own, a MosqueIn 1925, then Potentate Fred W. Domer appointed a Building Committee to look into the matter of building a home for Tripoli Temple. After considerable study, the group recommended purchase of a property at 30th Street and Grand Avenue (now Wisconsin Avenue) with a frontage of 263^ feet and a depth of 285 feet for $115,384.00.Plans were drawn by Clas, Shepherd an'd Clas of Milwaukee. The plans were approved early in the Summer of 1926. Contracts were awarded and actual construction work begun on October 11, 1926. The Imperial Potentate, James C. Burger, broke ground for the structure. More than 3,600 Nobles subscribed more than $250,000.00to supplement the cash resources of the Temple. On the day the Mosque was dedicated, it was Tripoli's proud and fully substantiated statement that the building was entirely paid for — no debts, no bonds, no interest. |
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| Inspired by the famous Taj Mahal in Agra,
India, which is said to be one of the seven most
beautiful buildings in the world, the Mosque was
destined to become one of the most unique sights
in Wisconsin. It commanded attention early, as
the skeletal form of the dome, flanked by its
minarets, rose above the already completed
facade of the building. Colorful pageantry marked the dedication of the $750,000.00 Mosque on May 14, 1928. High officials of state, city and fraternalism attended. There was a parade of more than 1,000 marchers from several states. According to The Milwaukee Journal the next day, two bouquets of flowers attached to parachutes were dropped from an airplane by a Milwaukee Shriner pilot. One bunch landed on the dome, scattering flowers over the crowd below. It was a happy day in Tripoli history. |
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In 1928, we broke ground for Tripoli Country Club after a land company was formed, stock sold, and land acquired. The clubhouse was chartered in 1923. The club was reorganized in 1939 ending Tripoli's active management. In May, 1968, restrictions were lifted regarding Masonic affiliations for membership. The scimitar and other emblems of the Shrine are no longer used. Today, Tripoli Country Club is thriving in its 63rd year. A group of early-day Tripoli Nobles with "ships of the desert.'
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