Happy Birthday Ben!
Father of our nation's energy supply, our library system, our fire companies, and our bathroom humor, Ben Franklin, would have been 300 today. Damn you, Death.
You may think that there's little connection between this city and a man who died when it was still a part-time Duwamish hunting camp. Not true! If there wasn't, would Archie McPhee carry this?
Consider Franklin High School! Once nicknamed the "Quakers," this school is the alma mater of some famous Seattleites whose method of artistic expression doesn't please us, like Kenny G and Mark Morris.
Also, Franklin, while living in London, befriended Capt. James Cook, the British explorer who discovered the northwest corner of our great state, Cape Flattery. Franklin even arranged a pass for Cook during the Revolutionary War so the Captain could get through American blockades in the course of his explorations (unfortunately, Cook was dead--killed by Hawai'ian natives--by the time the pass arrived).
Ok, the connection is tenuous, but Ben Franklin is America's all-time coolest guy. How many people do you know who are likely to have their tercentennial celebrated?
