IOOF Hall - Stevensville, MT - Wikipedia Entries on Waymarking.com

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IOOF Hall - Stevensville, MT

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Posted by:  T0SHEA

11T E 722971 N 5154874

A very typical small town Main Street Odd Fellows Hall, it seems to have had a history similar to most, as well.

At various times this one time IOOF hall served as town hall, library, firehouse and museum. Today, however, it is simply another commercial/retail building like most of its neighbors, many of similar age and design as this hall. Standing amid a small sea of red brick buildings, the IOOF hall does manage to stand out, mostly for its slightly greater height and greater overall size.

Built in 1912 by local contractor J.J. Hightower and designed by [unknown], the hall occupies space once occupied by the Wells Building which, surprise, surprise, burned to the ground in 1905. The lot stood empty for some time, being purchased by Garden Valley Lodge No. 14, I.O.O.F. in 1906, with construction not coming about until about 1912. Long disbanded, the Lodge disposed half of the building to the town in 1949 and the other half to the Rebeccas in 1955. The city continued to use the building as city hall, public library, and fire station until departing in 1985. Now in private hands, the building, which also housed the Stevensville Historical Museum for a time, is home to Rooster Creek Mercantile, featuring handcrafted rustic furniture and home decor items, and what appears to be an exercise studio.

IOOF Hall

In the 1920s the building was used as a theater. In 1929, Garden Valley Lodge signed an eight-year lease for the first floor with W.J. Startwig. In 1949, the City of Stevensville purchased a half-interest in the building and used the ground floor for a city hall, public library, and fire station. During that time the storefront area was rebuilt with the overhead garage-type door to provide access for the fire engine.

The Garden Valley I.O.O.F. Lodge turned its interest in the lodge hall over to the Hope Rebecca Lodge No. 15 in 1955. The Lodge has since disbanded. Hope sold its interest to George Dickerson and his wife in 1978. In 1985, the City of Stevensville moved the city offices, public library, and fire department to a new building on Buck Avenue and sold its interest in this building to William Larkin.

The second story retains its original design integrity; high relief brick corbelling is used in several areas for decoration. The raised center of the parapet contains the legend "I.O.O.F." The parapet is ornamented by a series of tiny sixteen brick pilasters (two in the south section, 14 in the north). Five large, evenly-spaced, 1-over-l, double hung windows are located across the second story of the north section. A matching window is located in the bay section. The windows have flat brick arches and concrete sills. Horizontal bands of protruding end brick extend across the façade below the windows.

The ground floor of the south section, which appears to be original, features double, glazed doors providing access to the second story lodge hall. A pair of large transom windows is located directly above the doors.

The commercial space located on the ground floor of the large north bay has been altered, and most original interior historic fabric has either been removed or concealed. An extra-tall garage door has been installed on the façade to provide access to the interior for fire trucks.
From the NRHP Nomination Form