Maryland, Delaware and District of Columbia Association, B.P.O. Elks
club · active 1921–
The three-jurisdiction state association of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, which held its third annual convention at Ocean City, Md. on 4–6 September 1923. Planning ran from January, when president James W. McLane and associate grand exalted ruler John J. Powell of Wilmington called Eastern Shore lodges to Salisbury to arrange it. Washington Lodge alone chartered a special train and sent roughly 250 members; it took first place in the parade and with its drill corps, and second in the band contest. P. J. Callan of Washington was elected association president at the convention, with John J. Powell of Wilmington first vice president, G. W. Cromwell of Cumberland second, F. V. Staub of Frederick third, J. T. Ryan secretary and K. E. Young of Hagerstown treasurer.
In the record (2)
1923 · 1923-09-04
Ocean City hosts a three-state Elks convention on 4–6 September, brought in by special train.
The third annual convention of the Maryland, Delaware and District of Columbia Association, B.P.O. Elks, met at Ocean City on 4, 5 and 6 September 1923. Planning began in Crisfield in January, when the association's president James W. McLane and the associate grand exalted ruler John J. Powell of Wilmington called a special meeting of Eastern Shore Elks at Salisbury to make final arrangements; "reservations will be made at the many hotels at the shore [to take] care of the thousands of visiting Elks." William A. Finkel chaired the Ocean City club of Washington Lodge and "expects to take a trainload of Elks numbering about five hundred"; the Elks' special train left Washington at 9 a.m. on 4 September. Roughly 250 Washington members attended. Washington Lodge took first honours in the parade and first prize with its drill corps, and second place in the band contest; P. J. Callan of Washington was elected association president. The Worcester Democrat's own headline, 8 September: "Elks Take Charge Of Ocean City This Week… A great outpouring of the B. P. O. E. occurred at Ocean City this week, and it was 'Hello Bill!' on all sides."
Ocean City had been a Sunday-school-excursion town and a Baltimore-family town. In 1923 it became a convention town, and it took a special train from Washington to prove it.
Source · checked 2026-08-06
1924
The Elks hold their fourth annual state convention at Ocean City on 4–6 September, with headquarters at the Colonial Hotel and a Coast Guard drill on the programme.
Chosen at Wilmington in February — 'Elks of Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia today chose Ocean City, Md., for the annual meeting' — and worked up all spring by the Washington Lodge's standing Ocean City Club under chairman W. A. Finkel, which met every Monday night. President P. J. Callan visited Ocean City on 8 June to settle the arrangements. The Evening Star's programme: 'There will be swimming contests, beauty contests, athletic events, fishing contests, dancing contests, crab feasts, band contests, exhibition drills, dancing and the big boardwalk parade — all free … The Ocean City Coast Guard will give an exhibition drill Friday.' Registration on Thursday 4 September, boats ready at 6 a.m. Friday for deep-sea fishing, the Coast Guard drill at eleven, a crab feast at three, business and the election of officers Saturday morning, the parade at three, a banquet in the evening. The Washington delegation's headquarters were the Colonial Hotel; it travelled by the B. & O. to Baltimore, by boat to Love Point and by rail from there, reaching Ocean City about 8 p.m., and left again at 4.50 on the Sunday.
Two years running, the town that used to fill with Sunday-school excursions filled instead with a fraternal order that brought its own band, its own drill team and its own quoit club.
Ocean City BoardwalkUnited States Coast GuardBaltimore, Chesapeake & Atlantic Railway
Source · checked 2026-08-06