Martinsville Improved Order of Red Men Lodge - Martinsville, Indiana
Posted by: 
BruceS
N 39° 25.672 W 086° 25.762
16S E 549113 N 4364414
Historic former lodge building in Martinsville, Indiana.
Waymark Code: WM7BAP
Location: Indiana, United States
Date Posted: 09/30/2009
Views: 4
"Martinsville Improved Order of Red Men Lodge, 55-65 West Morgan Street, Vernacular, 1908. This two-story brick building hall consists of two street-level business rooms and a second story fraternal hall. A central paneled door with filled transom leads to the upstairs room. A steel header runs across the display windows of both business rooms, and cast iron posts anchor the wall ends and flank the door to the upstairs. Both business rooms have recessed entrances with transoms and large display windows; the windows in the east unit have been reduced slightly. The second story is pierced by four one-over-one double-hung sash windows. Above the windows, the front wall extends above roof level. Until quite recently, cast iron letters were mounted here that read 19 WIGWAM 08; shadows have made their presence evident. The letters were recently removed by the building’s current occupant, a church.
The Martinsville Seminole Tribe #125 of the Improved Order of Red Men was instituted on November 17, 1892. This new lodge was constructed in 1908, with the fraternal order utilizing the second floor and various commercial businesses located at street level. Among the businesses located here were Galbreath’s bicycle shop during the 1920s and 1930s and from about 1950- 1980, Kent Dry Cleaning at 55 W. Morgan and Past Time Cigar Shop at 65 W. Morgan. The current owner is Gladys Quinton, who purchased the building in 1996 for use by Manna Mission." - Historic District Nomination Form