Ben Paris
Encyclopedia
Benjamin M. Paris was an American
sportsman, entrepreneur
, conservationist
, and owner of a landmark
restaurant in Seattle, Washington
. Paris founded the Seattle Ben Paris Salmon Derby. He is inurned at the columbarium at Evergreen Washelli Memorial Park
.
, on July 15, 1884. As a youth, he moved with his family to Texas
, where he grew up with his four brothers and five sisters. His formal education ended when he completed the third grade. His father died when Paris was fourteen or fifteen and his mother passed two years later.
At the age of seventeen, Paris went to Mexico to work on a railroad construction project, which later brought him to Port Hope, Alaska. He came to Seattle for eighteen months before moving to Missouri
, where he worked as an ironworker. In 1906, he was injured on the job, and thus prompted a permanent return to Seattle.
parlor on Admiral Way in West Seattle. In 1912, he incorporated as the Ben Paris Terminal Concessions Company, of which he was president and general manager. By 1922, he owned four first-class billiard parlors, one at 912 ½ First Avenue, one at 120 ½ Pike Street, and one each in Bremerton and Mt. Vernon, totaling $80,000 in value; he also owned Ben Paris Cigars, Lunch & Cards in the Eitel Building at 1501 2nd Avenue.
His establishments had the most modern equipment available at the time and catered to the upper class men of the area, and the managers of his businesses each owned an interest in his company.
In the late 1920s, his company, along with Bartell Drugs
, established a seventy-six year lease of the Eitel Building.
In 1930, he established the Ben Paris Restaurant at 1609 Westlake Avenue.
commission to one that was state-controlled. Paris was elected president of that committee.
In less than eighteen months, Paris made two hundred and eleven appearances in support of Initiative 62, which voters passed in November 1932. He was subsequently appointed to the newly formed state game commission, but resigned after three months concentrate on his businesses.
When Paris complained that commercial salmon traps were snaring all the fish before they could even reach Puget Sound or its tributaries, the State Legislature took notice and, in 1935, outlawed commercial salmon traps in Puget Sound. As a bar owner, he didn’t think that selling beer on Sundays should be illegal and in 1934, he took his argument to the Supreme Court and lost.
In 1935, Paris began publishing the now-iconic "Fishing (and Hunting) Guide to the Northwest " which ran from 1935 to 1980. Paris was head of the Gander Club and was involved in several other conservation organizations, such as the Western Bass Club. He also was active in the Eagles, Knights, and Shriners
, and sponsored semi-pro baseball teams.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sportsman, entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
, conservationist
Conservationist
Conservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
, and owner of a landmark
Landmark
This is a list of landmarks around the world.Landmarks may be split into two categories - natural phenomena and man-made features, like buildings, bridges, statues, public squares and so forth...
restaurant in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. Paris founded the Seattle Ben Paris Salmon Derby. He is inurned at the columbarium at Evergreen Washelli Memorial Park
Evergreen Washelli Memorial Park
Evergreen Washelli Memorial Park originated in 1885. It is located on both sides of Aurora Avenue in Seattle, Washington, and occupies roughly . It is the largest cemetery in Seattle.-History:...
.
Life
Benjamin Paris was born in Birmingham, AlabamaBirmingham, Alabama
Birmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
, on July 15, 1884. As a youth, he moved with his family to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, where he grew up with his four brothers and five sisters. His formal education ended when he completed the third grade. His father died when Paris was fourteen or fifteen and his mother passed two years later.
At the age of seventeen, Paris went to Mexico to work on a railroad construction project, which later brought him to Port Hope, Alaska. He came to Seattle for eighteen months before moving to Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, where he worked as an ironworker. In 1906, he was injured on the job, and thus prompted a permanent return to Seattle.
Business
Paris received a $600 loan to start a five-table billiardBilliard
-Games:* A , a type of shot in cue sports * Billiards: cue sports in general, including pool, carom billiards, snooker, etc.; the term "billiards" by itself is also sometimes used to refer to any of the following more specifically:...
parlor on Admiral Way in West Seattle. In 1912, he incorporated as the Ben Paris Terminal Concessions Company, of which he was president and general manager. By 1922, he owned four first-class billiard parlors, one at 912 ½ First Avenue, one at 120 ½ Pike Street, and one each in Bremerton and Mt. Vernon, totaling $80,000 in value; he also owned Ben Paris Cigars, Lunch & Cards in the Eitel Building at 1501 2nd Avenue.
His establishments had the most modern equipment available at the time and catered to the upper class men of the area, and the managers of his businesses each owned an interest in his company.
In the late 1920s, his company, along with Bartell Drugs
Bartell Drugs
Bartell Drugs is a chain of pharmacies in the Puget Sound area of the U.S. state of Washington. Currently, they primarily serve the Seattle and King County area but have been slowly expanding into Snohomish and Pierce Counties to the North and South, respectively. George D. Bartell, grandson of the...
, established a seventy-six year lease of the Eitel Building.
Sportsmanship and Conservation
Paris, who was an avid sportsman, also sold sporting goods at some of his establishments. In particular, he was an advocate for fishing and installed a large circular fish tank containing live bass in the lobby of at least one of his downtown Seattle restaurants. To help boost sales of his fishing rods , he started Seattle’s first fishing derby in 1931. That year, the Washington Conservation League was formed to try to change the county-controlled gamingGambling
Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...
commission to one that was state-controlled. Paris was elected president of that committee.
In less than eighteen months, Paris made two hundred and eleven appearances in support of Initiative 62, which voters passed in November 1932. He was subsequently appointed to the newly formed state game commission, but resigned after three months concentrate on his businesses.
When Paris complained that commercial salmon traps were snaring all the fish before they could even reach Puget Sound or its tributaries, the State Legislature took notice and, in 1935, outlawed commercial salmon traps in Puget Sound. As a bar owner, he didn’t think that selling beer on Sundays should be illegal and in 1934, he took his argument to the Supreme Court and lost.
In 1935, Paris began publishing the now-iconic "Fishing (and Hunting) Guide to the Northwest " which ran from 1935 to 1980. Paris was head of the Gander Club and was involved in several other conservation organizations, such as the Western Bass Club. He also was active in the Eagles, Knights, and Shriners
Shriners
The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, also commonly known as Shriners and abbreviated A.A.O.N.M.S., established in 1870, is an appendant body to Freemasonry, based in the United States...
, and sponsored semi-pro baseball teams.