Odd Fellows' Home - Worcester, MA
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nomadwillie
N 42° 17.937 W 071° 47.840
19T E 269410 N 4686759
Road in Worcester, Massachusetts.
The home was built in 1890 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.
Waymark Code: WM5Q1C
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 02/01/2009
Views: 7
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows as we know it today began in Baltimore, Maryland, where five members of the Order from England founded Washington Lodge No. 1 on April 26, 1819, by self-institution.
There are several different reasons given for our unique name. One old and apparently authoritative history of Odd Fellowship gives the explanation, "That common laboring men should associate themselves together and form a fraternity for social unity and fellowship and for mutual help was such a marked violation of the trends of the times (England in the 1700's) that they became known as peculiar or 'odd', and hence they were derided as 'Odd Fellows.' Because the appropriateness of the name, those engaged in forming these unions accepted it. When legally incorporated, the title 'Odd Fellows' was adopted."
Another, similar explanation is that the original Odd Fellows were men who were engaged in various or odd trades, as there were organizations for some of the larger trades.
Moderen references state that the true reason for the name Odd Fellows isn't known or documented.
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