the story behind the owl card
One deck you rarely see is called The Owl deck. The cards are lacquer-backs with an owl holding a lantern while sitting on a branch. Where did this design come from?
The answer lies in the name on the box.
Another clue is the Ace of Spades & Joker
This combination was used between
1891 and 1894.
1891 and 1894.
Now for the answer:
It all starts with Henry G. Brown (shown on the left) who was born in Iowa in 1854. He would leave the family farm and eventually attend the new Iowa State College.
Now for the answer:
It all starts with Henry G. Brown (shown on the left) who was born in Iowa in 1854. He would leave the family farm and eventually attend the new Iowa State College.
But, Henry had a reputation as a great billiard and pool player and started running with a group of other big name players at the time and headed East.
With his success he ended up with an interest in a NYC gambling house. He also acquired, for an unknown reason, the nickname of "Doc".
Leaving New York City he headed to work in Panama in the early 1880s as a merchant. Returning to Iowa he married in 1886. He was 32 and she was only 13. His wife Ella always said it was "love at first sight".
The newlyweds soon headed West and arrived in Spokane, Washington, by 1888. Henry then opened a gambling establishment called the Old Arlington on the northwest corner of Main and Howard Streets.
Soon tragedy struck. On the evening of August 4, 1889, a small lodging house and restaurant caught fire on Railroad Avenue. Early attempts to extinguish the blaze were fraught with difficulty. By all accounts, panic began to set in as the intense heat and shifting winds allowed the flames to quickly jump from the timber buildings to the stone and mortar buildings nearby. As the fire moved north and east, it became evident that the city’s business district was in jeopardy.
By the time the fire died, over thirty blocks had been burned, wiping out the downtown area and causing several million dollars in damages.
With his success he ended up with an interest in a NYC gambling house. He also acquired, for an unknown reason, the nickname of "Doc".
Leaving New York City he headed to work in Panama in the early 1880s as a merchant. Returning to Iowa he married in 1886. He was 32 and she was only 13. His wife Ella always said it was "love at first sight".
The newlyweds soon headed West and arrived in Spokane, Washington, by 1888. Henry then opened a gambling establishment called the Old Arlington on the northwest corner of Main and Howard Streets.
Soon tragedy struck. On the evening of August 4, 1889, a small lodging house and restaurant caught fire on Railroad Avenue. Early attempts to extinguish the blaze were fraught with difficulty. By all accounts, panic began to set in as the intense heat and shifting winds allowed the flames to quickly jump from the timber buildings to the stone and mortar buildings nearby. As the fire moved north and east, it became evident that the city’s business district was in jeopardy.
By the time the fire died, over thirty blocks had been burned, wiping out the downtown area and causing several million dollars in damages.
Losing everything Henry only had the $1,500 in his pockets. Always thinking of others, he handed most of that out to others that suffered in the fire.
The next year Henry, Charles Pratt, James Dewey and Ed Duffy opened the Frankfort saloon at Main and Howard Streets. In 1891 the name would change to The Owl Saloon.
The next year Henry, Charles Pratt, James Dewey and Ed Duffy opened the Frankfort saloon at Main and Howard Streets. In 1891 the name would change to The Owl Saloon.
Just like Henry's generosity, his club was known for being the “squarest gambling house” in town.
"Doc" would also feed the poor on many occasions and help anyone that came to him with a hard luck story. He always sent Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners to the city prisoners and animals at the pound every year.
He even financed, uniformed and organized the Owl Juniors, a kid's (little league) baseball team.
"Doc" would also feed the poor on many occasions and help anyone that came to him with a hard luck story. He always sent Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners to the city prisoners and animals at the pound every year.
He even financed, uniformed and organized the Owl Juniors, a kid's (little league) baseball team.
He would also finance the local men's baseball team for several years.
As a lover of animals he even had two pet sea lions in the local river that he fed daily.
In 1906, after the state enactment of the law making gambling a felony in Washington, Brown moved to Portland, Oregon.
In Portland Henry's saloon failed within a year and he moved on to Goldfield, Nevada, where he ran the Monte Carlo Club.
In 1908 the gold miners there went on strike and "Doc" supported them after they had made him rich at the Monte Carlo. He gave back over $200,000 ($6.5 million) to the miners that had lost money at his casino. The miners used this money to hold out long enough to win their strike, but "Doc" was never repaid. He then moved on to Rawhide, Nevada, to start again.
In 1910 Henry returned to Spokane after the law became loose again there and started a new gambling operation.
The next year he was swindled out his money and was out of work and penniless for almost 2 months. Friends were turning their backs on him.
While in San Francisco looking for work he grew very despondent over his long continued losses and becoming penniless. He could not afford to feed his wife and three children anymore. After pawning his last possessions he bought a life insurance policy. On the night of April 11th he climbed the fence to the Oakland city park and killed himself. He left 2 notes for his wife tied to his wrist.
Henry had been a lifelong member of The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and they took care of the funeral and burial expenses for his family.
As a lover of animals he even had two pet sea lions in the local river that he fed daily.
In 1906, after the state enactment of the law making gambling a felony in Washington, Brown moved to Portland, Oregon.
In Portland Henry's saloon failed within a year and he moved on to Goldfield, Nevada, where he ran the Monte Carlo Club.
In 1908 the gold miners there went on strike and "Doc" supported them after they had made him rich at the Monte Carlo. He gave back over $200,000 ($6.5 million) to the miners that had lost money at his casino. The miners used this money to hold out long enough to win their strike, but "Doc" was never repaid. He then moved on to Rawhide, Nevada, to start again.
In 1910 Henry returned to Spokane after the law became loose again there and started a new gambling operation.
The next year he was swindled out his money and was out of work and penniless for almost 2 months. Friends were turning their backs on him.
While in San Francisco looking for work he grew very despondent over his long continued losses and becoming penniless. He could not afford to feed his wife and three children anymore. After pawning his last possessions he bought a life insurance policy. On the night of April 11th he climbed the fence to the Oakland city park and killed himself. He left 2 notes for his wife tied to his wrist.
Henry had been a lifelong member of The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and they took care of the funeral and burial expenses for his family.