These days when you leave a conference or convention, the first thing you discard is your name badge. Who wants to be caught with a lariat around their neck or a big card pinned to their chest displaying their name? Not so, 100 years ago. Convention goers would be decked out with pins, pinbacks, ribbons and watch fobs to commemorate their attendance at an event. Often well made, these pieces of ephemera have stood the test of time and help us image the life of a conventioneer in Los Angeles over a century ago. The discovery of a “Visiting Ladies, Los Angeles 1909, pin with an elk head on it was a tip off that this pin would have adorned the dress of women who accompanied men attending the Fraternal Order of the Elks 1909 convention in Los Angeles. The convention was hosted by Elks Lodge No. 99, located in downtown Los Angeles.

What a convention this was! Thousands of people came in by special trains from across the country. Delegations from other states spent thousands of dollars to adorn floats for the grand parade, representing their home state lodges. The parade would rival the Rose parade. Some delegates even endured a long sea voyage to attend- the five delegates from the Philippines, representing the 500 members of the Elks in Manila, were lauded for traveling the furthest. The conventioneers traveled throughout the region seeing the sites the Los Angeles region had to offer. A “Long Beach Day” during the convention boasted the largest crowd ever in that city- 35,000. Three and four car trains were leaving Los Angeles every three to four minutes to head to Long Beach. By noon, all the bathing suits to rent were gone as 5000 people played in the surf. Everyone proudly wore their badges and badge-swapping between lodge members was in full swing.

Fortunately for the Elks Lodge No. 99, their building or “temple” was directly adjacent to the Los Angeles Incline Railway, also known as Angel’s Flight. A passenger record was set during the one week convention that began on July 11th and ended on July 17th - Angel’s Flight handled 60,000 passengers that week.