History Blog: Odd Fellows Hall

At the corner of Smith and Vallejo Streets is an empty lot. One corner of this lot housed the Odd Fellows Hall, a two story wooden building built in 1864.

The Odd Fellows organized a lodge in Alvarado on November 26, 1859. Some of the charter members were Charles Eigenbrodt, E. H. Dyer, James Hawley, and William Liston. These men organized Crusade Lodge No. 93 (the 93rd lodge in California). A number of the charter members had previously been in lodges in California or back in their home state. They realized that in a small town, the Odd Fellows organization can have an positive impact on the town.

On January 12, 1864, the lodge created the Alvarado Odd Fellows Hall Association with the stated purpose of raising money to build a lodge. The Association created 400 shares of $10 each, for a total capital of $4,000. A shares receipt shows that the lodge itself purchased 50 shares. By the end of 1864, the Association had raised enough funds and the hall was built.

The lodge was a two-story building, 40 feet wide and 65 feet long, with a large hall on the first floor. The second floor had a smaller hall and a few rooms. The large hall on the first floor was used for community meetings, and later as a theater.

The building was used by other fraternal organizations as well. By the 1900's, the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Native Sons of the Golden West were using the hall and had their names on the front of the building. When the Odd Fellows lodge grew too small, it merged with the lodge in Hayward. The Fraternal Order of Eagles took over the Hall and used it for many years.

The building eventually suffered from the ravages of time and was demolished in 1967.