Former Elks Lodge Entrance - 122 South Main - St. Charles, Missouri - Puzzles in the Real World on Waymarking.com

County of plaza: St. Charles County
Location of plaza: S Main St. & Madison St., St. Charles
Built: 1849
Architectural Style: Art Deco

This puzzle image is of the front entrance to this historic building. It is an Art Deco style with plenty of frieze art and marble. The puzzle includes a street lamp on the side walk, and a unique closure of the alley way between the building. The Masons built this closure, and the Elks upgraded the facade and the faux tile roof.

122 South Main. ca.1920 three-bay primary facade on 1849 three-story brick building constructed as a Masonic Lodge; facade articulated with glazed cream-colored fluted terra cotta piers and ornamental metal spandrels; elaborated cornice/parapet features glazed polychrome terra cotta ornamental detailing and Elk head logo with lettering "B.P.O.E. NO 690"." ~ NRHP Nomination Form

Marker Text:

122 South Main
Masonic Hall • Gut Saddlery • Elks Building
1849 • Free and Accepted Masons

Behind this 1914 Art Deco tile and marble facade is one of the oldest building on the street, the Masonic Hall.  The lodge held its last meeting on July 17, 1861.  "About this time [1861], we came under the dark Cloud of War between the North and South and Hiram No. 118 with membership of 73 was not strong enough to withstand its horrors and like many lodges of the Border States it passed out of existence."

Edward Gut bought the building 1865 and operated his Saddlery & Harness shop here for thirty years.  B.P.O.E,. (Elks) owned and the building from 1914 until 1976.

"This edifice was built by the Masons in 1849. It was sold to Edward Gut in 1861 for his Saddle and Harness Shop. Today it has a complete “New Face” and is owned by Saint Charles Lodge 690 B.P.O. Elks.

"In the fall of 1819 Benj. Emmons rode horse back to Nashville, Tennessee, to obtain a charter for the first Masonic Lodge of Saint Charles. The charter was received October 6, 1819. It was called Saint Charles Lodge No. 28. Benj. Emmons was the first Worshipful Master. The first meeting was held in a room they rented in Peck’s Row at 214 South Main Street. Meetings were held there for two years until the Lodge had to move to make room for the First Legislature in 1821. Next they rented rooms in the old Stone Fort and Fur Trading Post at 10-14 East Clay Street. On October 1, 1821 the new charter was called Hiram Lodge No. 3. W.G. Petus was Worshipful Master. In 1826 Hiram Lodge surrendered its charter as the membership had dwindled down to nine. In 1837 a new charter was granted. It was called Saint Charles Lodge No. 23. On April 8, 1850 the Masonic Lodge held open house and their first meeting in their new building at 122 South Main Street was held.

"Many Lodges closed throughout the U.S. during the Civil War. The Palestine Lodge No. 241 received its charter May 26, 1865. Joseph Alexander served a total of eighteen years as Worshipful Master.

"The Masonic Temple Association now own their hall and building at Main and Washington Streets, Saint Charles." ~ Historical St. Charles,   PDF page31