In 1954, Marshall Lodge 297 of the International Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks dedicated a new brick lodge hall at the corner of Nash and Vick Streets. Prior to this, the Elks met at 541 East Nash.
1001-1005 East Nash Street.
Clarence Best engraved the cornerstone.
The lodge is defunct, and the building, long abandoned, is scheduled for demolition.
Hill’s Wilson, N.C. City Directory (1930).
Thanks so much for your dedication to preserving our history. I’m sad to discover that the Elms Lodge will be demolished. This was where I attended my first dance as a teenager. I was a wallflower that first night, but when the funk hit me(‘One Nation Under a Groove’ Parliament – Funkadelic) on the second night, I was a full-fledged dancing queen. Thanks so much for educating and informing about our history.
Thank you so much, Sharon! You must have partied at the Nash St Elks Club in its final days as a teen spot. “One Nation” debuted in 1978, and by the early 80s, they had moved over to the Lane Street spot. 🙂
Yes Lisa! It would have been ’78-79, my sophomore year in high school. I can’t say ‘Thank you’ enough. You’re preserving our history and provoking treasured memories. I just read your post on Butler Jones and was amazed to discover that he’d lived directly across from my paternal grandmother who resided at 404 N. Reid St and was the next door neighbor of my cousin. Thanks for the trip back in time.
My grandmother lived for a while at 307 N. Reid.
That was my freshman year. I wanted to sneak into the Elks so bad, but never got up the courage.
Thanks so much for your dedication to preserving our history. I’m sad to discover that the Elms Lodge will be demolished. This was where I attended my first dance as a teenager. I was a wallflower that first night, but when the funk hit me(‘One Nation Under a Groove’ Parliament – Funkadelic) on the second night, I was a full-fledged dancing queen. Thanks so much for educating and informing about our history.