Odd Fellows Hall - Coleman, AB
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T0SHEA
N 49° 38.029 W 114° 30.227
11U E 680242 N 5500910
Just seventeen years after the town of Coleman was built around the International Coal and Coke Company coal mine in the Crowsnest Pass, the IOOF purchased this hall from the Fraternal Order of Eagles, who had this lodge built in 1909.
Waymark Code: WMPCCW
Location: Alberta, Canada
Date Posted: 08/08/2015
Views: 1
The Coleman Oddfellows Lodge No. 36 was formed in 1914 and existed until at least 1965. At one time there were three IOOF lodges in the Crowsnest Pass, the others being in Blairmore, Lodge No. 68 (formed 1910) and Bellevue, Lodge No. 118 (formed 1914). None remain active today.
IOOF Hall
Contractor E. Morino erected this building in 1909 - 1910 for the Fraternal Order of Eagles, who met upstairs and rented the main floor as retail space. In 1920 the International Order of Odd Fellows purchased the building. Retail merchants included druggist R. R. Webb and clothier George Neil.
During the Great Depression Frank Aboussafy left a successful family business in Wetaskiwin to strike out on his own. He settled in this busy coal town in 1936 and purchased this building, selling mens' clothing, hats and shoes on the main floor and women's clothing from the basement until retiring in 1967. Aboussafy was mayor of Coleman from 1943 to 1962.
From the plaque at the site
