Elks Lodge – Pawtucket, RI

This was originally posted on After the Final Curtain’s Patreon in November 2022. For expanded early posts, as well as video walkthroughs and other exclusive content, you can become a patron at: https://www.patreon.com/afterthefinalcurtain

View of the auditorium from the orchestra level.

The Pawtucket Elks Lodge Building is located in the central business district of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. It was designed in the Mission/Spanish Revival architectural style by the O’Malley-Fitzsimmons Company. Its first floor was made for commercial tenants, which is unusual for an Elks lodge.

Looking back at the auditorium from the stage.

On June 10, 1904, the Pawtucket Lodge of Elks #920 was founded with 64 members. They rented halls for their meetings before purchasing a permanent home on School Street in 1914. However, membership skyrocketed, and they announced plans to build a new lodge building in 1924. Construction was complete by 1926 and they moved in. During the Great Depression, the Pawtucket Elks could survive because of the income they received from the commercial tenants in the building.

The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 18, 1983. The Elks moved out of the building in the late 20th century, and the building fell into disrepair. It’s currently home to an artists collective who live and work in the building.

The exterior of the building.

A tapestry that was definitely not original to the building.

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