These “red fez” pieces of masonic headgear were made and distributed by Ihling Brothers Everard Company, located in Kalamazoo, MI. They are worn by members of “The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine” during all of their masonic gatherings and rituals. The design of the headgear is reflective of the group’s Middle Eastern theme; accordingly, they are modeled after the traditional Middle Eastern fez that arose during the Ottoman Empire. Founded in 1870 by Walter M. Fleming and William J. Florence, this appendant body of Freemasonry specifically focuses upon fun, fellowship, and philanthropy, as well as other masonic principles. In fact, the order founded the non-profit Shriners Hospitals for Children in 1922 which they deem to be “the greatest philanthropy in the world.” At present, any Master Mason may apply for membership to the order which is now known as Shriner’s International. There is an interesting connection between Ihling Brothers Everard Company and Michigan Freemasonry for several reasons. The company was founded in 1869 when Otto Ihling moved to Kalamazoo from Milwaukee, WI at the age of twenty two in order to start his dream bookbinding and printing business. After the first issue of “The Michigan Freemason” was bounded by Ihling and edited by his parter W.J. Chaplin, the two became the publishers and proprietors of literary series. This allowed them to further develop close ties with the Masonic Lodge in Western Michigan. Additionally, their stationery became an integral part of the original accounting system for the local lodges. At the turn of the century, Ihling Brothers began to widely manufacture masonic uniforms and regalia in a separate department from their bookbinding and printing business. Their business took off from there as an integral part of the local economy in Kalamazoo and fostered the further development of masonic tradition in Western Michigan. It is difficult to determine when this specific group of fezzes were made, however it must have been sometime after the turn of the 20th century. Freemasonry has a rich history in Michigan. To list a small portion of this history, the first documented lodge west of the Allegheny Mountains was formed in Detroit in 1764. Two-thirds of the initial funding for the University of Michigan was provided by the Zion Lodge in Detroit in 1817. The Grand Lodge of the Territory of Michigan was then formed in 1826 and Lewis Cass, Brigadier General during the War of 1812, became Grand Master. Notable Michiganders Henry Ford and Gerald Ford were both Freemasons. On a local level, Michigan’s first masonic senior living facility, “the Home at Reed’s Lake,” was opened in Grand Rapids in 1891 and the Michigan Masonic Museum and Library opened in Grand Rapids in 1998. Following in the philanthropic tradition of masonry, Michigan masons have founded college grant programs, funded juvenile diabetes research, launched a school-based volunteer tutoring program, and pioneered the Michigan Child ID Program. Due to the integral nature of Michigan masonic history, perhaps a study of masonic traditions and contributions might be worthwhile to the study of the history of Michigan. Undoubtedly, Ihling Brothers Everard Company, and the notable red fezzes they manufactured, provides a unique vantage point from which one might view the dynamics of local business in Western Michigan as well as the fraternal history of Michigan as a whole.Matthew Seafield, 11/21/2016