James R. DeSana Center for Arts & Culture - Wyandotte, MI
N 42° 12.310 W 083° 08.967
17T E 322556 N 4674792
This building was the former IOOF Lodge 172 from 1911-1938 located in Wyandotte, Michigan and is currently used by the Downriver Council For the Arts.
Waymark Code: WM18Y1P
Location: Michigan, United States
Date Posted: 10/22/2023
Views: 0
The Place
Wyandotte's Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) Lodge 172 was established in 1871 by men employed at the Eureka Iron and Steel Works. In 1893, IOOF Lodge 172 purchased the "Old Brown School," an 1856 school building that was once located at this site, to hold meetings. However, by 1910, the IOOF membership had outgrown the school building and the school was moved. Construction on the current building began in 1911. Financing issues caused the construction to be done in phases; the basement and first floor were built in 1911-1912 and the building opened for use. Over the next eight years, membership in the Wyandotte IOOF grew steadily (from 240 in 1912 to 780 in 1920), and in 1921 the upper stories of the building, containing an auditorium, were constructed.
The Wyandotte Odd Fellows used the building until 1938, when financial difficulties caused foreclosure on the building. It was leased by the state of Michigan for a few years, but in 1942 the Wyandotte Masons purchased the building. The Masons moved in in 1943, and in 1948 extensively renovated the building. The Masons used the building until 2005, when the local Masons merged with another chapter. After the Masons vacated, the building was briefly used as a church. In 2008 the city of Wyandotte purchased the building to preserve the structure. The Wyandotte Arts Center, containing exhibition, studio space, and theatre space opened in the building in 2010.-
Wyandotte Odd Fellows Temple
The Person
James R. DeSana has served in a variety of elected positions including Wyandotte City Councilman (1957-61 and 2001-05), Mayor (1961-68; 1987-97 and 2005-09), Wayne County Commissioner (1969-76), and State Senator (1976-86). He also served as the Director of the Michigan Dept of Transportation (MDOT) from May 1997 to November 2000. He owned an industrial supply company.