Hello from the History Department. We gathered a lot of fantastic stories from and about the people who joined and worked at Tacoma’s Elks Lodge – this tale is one of them. ***** What is known for certain about the life of Walter Sutter is that he was a popular and very involved member of…

Hello from the History Department. We are fortunate here with McMenamins to be able to juxtapose history with all that we do – from the beer to the art, to the music and food and beyond, we bring interesting historical connections to light. Or, in this case, to flight. Yet also in this case, lack…

Think you’re a McMenamins history buff? Identify the five properties associated with these images. Property #1 Hint: This was taken in 1985. Property #2 Hint: Bring your own chalk. Property #3 Hint: It’s the first spot we built from the ground up. Property #4 Hint: “Everything’s great ‘til you tow a judge’s car.” Property #5…

This week, we scroll all the way back to a photo contest we held back in 2014. Can you name each McMenamins location shown? Property #1   Property #2 Property #3 Property #4 Property #5               Answers: FULTON PUB (Portland, OR) — see how little the interior structure has…

Hello from the History Department. Happy holidays, one and all! Here’s a good one from the archives, originally sent out five years ago. ***** Kathleen Eloise Rockwell (a.k.a. Klondike Kate, a.k.a. Kate Rockwell Warner Matson Van Duren, a.k.a. Aunt Kate) was born in Kansas in the early 1870s. The family moved to Spokane, WA, where…

Hello from the History Department. On the banks of the Columbia River, just north of where our Kalama Harbor Lodge stands today, there was once a huge and prosperous fish packaging plant called the Doty Fish Company. Founded in 1895, it was one of the enterprises that first brought the world a taste of the…

Hello from the History Department. First, some news – we’re excited to announce the addition of another History Pub to our repertoire. Beginning January 29, 2020 (and continuing every last Wednesday of the month), the Compass Room at the Grand Lodge will be the latest venue to host one of our free, monthly history programs.…

Hello from the History Department. Along with many examples of Native artwork and sculpture at the Kalama Harbor Lodge, there is a guest room named for the indigenous Chinook people, who thrived in the region “since time immemorial.” Sharing their history is a just one way to honor those who came first. As we know…

Hello from the History Department. Did you miss Fibonacci Day, on 11/23? Yeah, we did, too. Below, Justyn Livingston, for whom we named a room in the Art House at Old St. Francis School in Bend, OR, explains her artistic inspiration through the teachings of mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci (ca. 1170–1250). You might already be familiar…