113 E. 1st Street

Description

Real estate appraisal card. 113 E. 1st Street, part of lots 9 & 10, block 22, in Salida, Colorado. This building was erected by Salida's IOOF Lodge No. 54 as its meeting hall and lodge rooms. The June 17, 1887 Salida Weekly Mail reported, "Yesterday was a proud time for every Odd Fellow in the Arkansas Valley, in that it saw the corner-stone laid for the new temple to be devoted to use of the three-link order. The box was then made ready, and S.B. Westerfield, grand secretary, read the following list of articles to be preserved: 'Proceedings and by-laws of the Grand Lodge; constitution and by-laws Salida Lodge No. 54; copy of the Mail and the News; names of grand and subordinate lodge officers; names of 102 members; various tokens and relics; copy of the Holy Bible. The new temple will be 30 X 80 feet, of brick, with cut stone trimmings, two stories in height. The first floor will be used for stores and the second divided into reception rooms, hail, banquet room and library for the use of the lodge. City Water will be carried throughout the entire building." The Independent Order of Odd Fellows is one of the largest and oldest fraternal organizations in America. The order was founded in England during the eighteenth century. In 1819, the American Odd Fellowship was founded as the Washington Lodge #1 in Baltimore. The original goals of the group were to visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead, and educate the orphaned. The three links of the Odd Fellows' symbol stand for friendship, love, and truth. Early Salida had a large group of secret and benevolent societies, of which the Odd Fellows were estimated to be the largest by 1889. In that year, the group had about seventy-five members. One of their best-known features was the promotion of "team work." Their hall was called "a very fine and imposing structure." The 1888 Sanborn map indicated that a crockery store occupied the first story of the building. By 1890, a jewelry and dry goods business operated here. The 1893 Sanborn map showed the post office in the first story. By 1898 a grocery store was located in the storefront. The 1903-04 city directory listed Frank A Dupar, grocery, at this address. Dupar was also proprietor of the Salida Dry Goods Company and vice president of Salida State Bank. By 1905-06, the first floor was occupied by the Salida Decorating Company (Frank Flatz and Robert Pherson) and Michael J . Gannon, merchant tailor ("A full line of imported and domestic goods always on hand.") The 1909 directory indicated that the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen was also using the hall. The group had previously met at the Fraternity Hall. By 1911-12, the city directory listed J.W. Randol, grocer, at this address. Randol had previously operated at 129-31 E. 1st. The firm had been started by J.D. Randol, a pioneer grocer, who settled in the Salida area in 1879 and was considered "among those men who helped to build here on such a solid foundation for posterity." He started the grocery store in 1901. His son, J.W. Randol took over the business, and was also considered a respected citizen and booster of Salida. In 1927, the store, still at this location, offered "all manner of staple and fancy groceries, fruits and vegetables in season, confections, bakery goods and kindred lines are carried. The stocks are large from which to choose, the prices are ever fair and the service is the best." The 1945 Sanborn map showed the USO club rooms on the first story. By 1951, Howard's Shoe Shop operated by Howard Cauiness was located here. The building continues to be the home of Salida's Odd Fellows. History Colorado's Architectural Inventory Forms have more information and are available at the Salida Library.