Mike and Billy Berne, of the Berne Brothers' Brick Yard, provided bricks for many early buildings, including the Oddfellows Building on 1st Avenue West and the old Catholic Church, located on 4th Avenue West. The church served as Columbia Falls' first public school and was one of the first churches in northwest Montana, it was built in 1891.
"The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) is a global altruistic and benevolent fraternal organization derived from the British Oddfellows service organizations of the 18th century
The Order is also known as "The Three Link Fraternity", referring to the Order's "Triple Links" logo – three links contain the letters F, L and T: Friendship, Love and Truth.
The word "Independent" in the organization's name was given by the English parent organization as part of the chartered title of the new North American chapter.
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was founded on the North American Continent in Baltimore, Maryland, on April 26, 1819 when Thomas Wildey and four members of the Order from England instituted Washington Lodge No. 1.
Odd Fellowship became the first fraternity in the US to include both men and women when it adopted the "Beautiful Rebekah Degree" on September 20, 1851.
Odd Fellows and Rebekahs were also the first US fraternal organizations to establish homes for senior members and for orphaned children."
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