The cornerstone for this Masonic Lodge was laid on August 17th, 1915, the building itself costing about $12,000. Chartered on September 20, 1906 as Whitefish No. 64, this lodge met here for many years but has vacated the premises and now meets at Kalispell Trinity Lodge #152 the first & third Tuesday of every month. They apparently met in rented or borrowed quarters for nine years, until the erection of this building in 1915. It's not known when the lodge vacated this lodge building.
It's a large, two story brick building with full basement, the style being distinctly Romanesque. The ground floor and basement have housed many establishments through the years, including the Whitefish post office, and a hostel. The basement has been home to Loula's Cafe for several years now.
In March of 2011 the main floor of the building, then owned by Rob Pero, was transformed into an event centre entitled Brix Elegant Events.
"The center offers an expansive space for weddings and other special events for up to 150 people, plus a smaller party suite that can accommodate up to 30 people."
On March 20, 2011 The Daily Interlake published an article on the event, which is reprinted in part below.
Masonic Lodge transformed into event center
LYNNETTE HINTZE/Daily Inter Lake
One of Whitefish’s landmark brick buildings has a new lease on life, this time as an event center.
Rob Pero, who owns the 1915 Masonic Lodge building at the corner of Second Street and Lupfer Avenue, recently refurbished the main floor and opened Brix Elegant Events.
The center offers an expansive space for weddings and other special events for up to 150 people, plus a smaller party suite that can accommodate up to 30 people.
Pero, a well-known Whitefish developer who has built more than 100 moderately priced homes in the Whitefish area, purchased the Masonic Lodge eight years ago after it had been used as a hostel for a time.
LouLa’s restaurant has operated in the basement of the building for many years. The main floor was an antique store for several years, while the smaller room was used most recently for an interior design business.
Faced with figuring out how to make use of the space as the local economy continues to emerge from the recession, Pero decided to steer away from retail uses.
“Retail is kind of tough right now,” he said. “And it’s a little off the beaten path for retail.”
Pero said he “just happened into” turning the place into an event center after friends were planning an outdoor wedding and needed a backup facility in case of rain. He told them about Masonic Lodge space “and that was the start of it,” he said.
He hired an interior designer to help with color schemes and amenities and consulted caterers about what kind of kitchen facility would be needed for big events.
The big difference between Brix Elegant Events and most other facilities that cater to large events is that people booking Pero’s facility can bring in their own food and beverages.
“We offer more flexibility and affordability,” he said.
The larger room and full kitchen will be used primarily for weddings, wedding receptions, rehearsal dinners, banquets, corporate events or meetings. It’s set up for music, with a stage in one corner.
The smaller room offers comfortable space for events such as Super Bowl parties, cocktail parties or small receptions.
It also can be rented out as an upscale place to stay for the weekend, equipped with a fireplace, kitchen and a fold-down bed with 400-thread-count sheets that is stored in the wall when not in use. Furniture can be rearranged to maximize the space, Pero added.
A new ceiling was installed in the main room for both aesthetics and acoustics, and Pero kept as much of the brick wall space as possible to retain the historic feel on the room.
The massive lodge was built by Whitefish Masonic Lodge No. 64 in 1915 at a cost of about $12,000, according to the “Stump Town to Ski Town” Whitefish history book.
During Whitefish’s centennial in 2005, a time capsule that had been placed in the Masonic Lodge cornerstone was opened during a special celebration.
As Pero’s remodeling project was under way, he learned from longtime citizens that the building has been used for a number of things through the years. In the late 1940s the U.S. Post Office operated in the basement of the lodge.
Read more at the Daily Interlake