“Crowded With Gallant Knights and Fair Ladies” — Morgan Silver Dollar Coin

Today, the Morgan Silver Dollar Coin remembers the large parade of Knights Templar in Denver on August 9, 1892.

From the Roanoke Times on August 10, 1892:

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Knight Templars’ Big Parade

Denver Is Crowded With Gallant Knights and Fair Ladies.

Fully 200,000 People Witnessed the Parade and They Enthusiastically Cheered the Marching Column

Many Good Bands In Attendance and Sweet Music Discoursed

The Cowboy Band Attracted a Great Deal of Attention

The Day Was All That Could be Desired.

Denver,  Aug. 9. [Special]

The great parade, which constitutes the escort of the Grand Templar encampment to its asylum, moved from Fourteenth and Market streets promptly at 10:45 a. m. on its long march through the principal streets of the city.

From early morning preparations have been going on for the big event and the streets have been crowded with people seeking positions on the numerous stands along the line of march.

Fully 20,000 additional knights arrived in the city yesterday and nearly half of that number this morning.

It is calculated that not fewer than 25,000 people participated in the parade.

The handling of these Knights was accomplished with considerable dexterity.

They were divided into fourteen divisions to each of which was assigned side street for forming upon.

The arrangements were so perfect that every division moved into line in excellent order.

Along the line people crowded so as to form an unbroken line three miles in length, and there could not have been less than 200,000 people viewing the magnificent pageant.

The grand encampment officers were driven from their headquarters at Brown’s Palace Hotel in carriages to the official reviewing stand on the corner of Logan and Sixteenth avenues, accompanied by their escort, St. John’s Commandery, No. 4, of Philadelphia, and the famous Cowboy Band of Pueblo, Col.

The review stands were reached about 10:30.

The multitude awaiting the arrival of the grand encampment officers at the review stand started enthusiastic cheering as the cowboys in their picturesque costumes appeared, which was continued until Grand Master Goblin took his seat.

It was some time before the head of the parade reached the stand, but the cowboy band entertained a large throng during the wait with excellent music.

With waiving plumes and flying banners, accompanied by bands of music, which were placed every block, the grand parade passed the official reviewing stand.

It took over three hours for the knights to file by, and although the march was a long one none of them suffered from the heat, as the sun was hidden during the entire parade by clouds.

A better day for the purpose could not have been made to order.

There were nearly two dozen public stands scattered along the line of march.

They held from 100 to 1,000 people each; beside there were innumerable private stands and every window in the business blocks was crowded with sightseers.

Unlike the business men of Eastern cities those of Denver did not charge for the privilege of looking out of the windows and the visitors took advantage of their kindness.

There was a charge though for seats in the public stands, and at 10 o’clock ten dollars would not purchase one.

They were packed from top to bottom, while the streets about them were filled with a living mass.

The beautiful costumes of the ladies added to the gay scene.

The sidewalks were lined ten to twenty feet deep.

Boxes and barrels were in demand and long-headed grocery men made many dollars retailing these articles.

Last night’s showers had little effect on the decorations and they showed up bright and handsome this morning.

The air was cool and it was one of the pleasantest days imaginable.

Every other person wore a badge and there was hardly a woman to be seen who did not wear some sign denoting she had a husband or a brother belonging to the knights.

It was an enthusiastic gathering and none were more enthusiastic than those who came from the mountains and stood with sombreros and spurs among the spectators.

They had never seen such a gathering before and they made the most of their opportunity.

It was a good natured crowd too; knights were cheered to the echo as they marched along looking happy and proud.

The parade formed on Fourteenth and Market streets and moved up Fourteenth street to Court place; Court place to Sixteenth street; Sixteenth street to Broadway; Broadway to Sixteenth avenue; Sixteenth avenue to Pennsylvania avenue; Pennsylvania avenue to Eighteenth avenue; Eighteenth avenue to Broadway; Broadway to Seventeenth street; Seventeenth street to Curtis street; Curtis to Nineteenth street; Nineteenth street to Laramie; Sixteenth street to Masonic Temple on Welton, where the divisions dispersed.

The first division was headed by Grand Commander Carr, of Colorado, and Colorado commanderies.

The second division was composed of men from the District of Columbia, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and South Carolina; third division, New York; fourth division, New Hampshire, Connecticut and Ohio; fifth division, Pennsylvania; sixth division, Indiana and Texas; seventh division, Michigan, Mississippi and California; eighth division, Tennessee and Georgia; ninth division, Wisconsin and New Jersey; tenth division, Missouri and Alabama; eleventh division, Iowa, Minnesota and New Mexico; twelfth division, Kansas; thirteenth division, Nebraska, West Virginia and Arkansas; fourteenth division, North Carolina, Oregon, Washington, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming and Arizona.

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The Morgan Silver Dollar Coin shows with an image of a blank certificate that would have been completed for a good templar, circa 1867.

Morgan Silver Dollar Coin