Independent Order of Odd Fellows

Fraternal organizations were an important facet of most mining towns and helped establish social and civic stability in early communities. Members of Fidelity Lodge #8 constructed this meeting hall, one of the district’s oldest standing buildings, in 1884. The building’s dual function, with second-story meeting rooms and first-floor commercial space, is typical of the period.

The lively façade, enhanced with intricate prefabricated details, directly reflects the impact of the railroad upon Butte’s architectural landscape. Ready-made elements such as the castiron storefront with scrolled columns and Corinthian capitals, metal cornice with decorative brackets, and floralpatterned window hoods were shipped by rail, linking Butte to national architectural trends.