Virginia Lodge No. 1
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows
The brick house in front of you was once part of the United States Armory complex. Prominent Armory officials lived along this street. During the Civil War, Union soldiers camped and drilled here. Inside the house they scrawled their names on the plaster walls.
After the war, the house became the new home of the Odd Fellows (IOOF), a fraternal and charitable organization. The old industrial town of Harpers Ferry was well suited for Odd Fellowship. Life was hard here, and the lodge supported members and families facing illness, injury, or death.
[Timeline along bottom of marker]
1819
The IOOF, which originated in England, is established in Baltimore, Maryland.
1833
"Virginia Lodge No. 1" is established in Harpers Ferry, Virginia. Members meet in the lower town.
1837-38
The U.S. Armory builds the dwelling here. Renters later included an armory inspector and a rifle factory director.
1862
Civil War photographers take pictures of Union troops here.
1863
West Virginia becomes a state. However, the Harpers Ferry lodge keeps its original name, "Virginia Lodge No. 1."
1866
The lodge relocates from the lower town to the old armory building in front of you.
Present
Virginia
[Photo captions, from left to right, read]
Lodge building in lower town
John Brown's 1859 raid caused the lodge to cancel its meeting
In 1862 Private D.W.C. Arnold of the 22nd New York State Militia poses in front of the house that would later become the Odd Fellows lodge.
Alfred Burton—an Odd Fellow—established a watch repair shop in Harpers Ferry just after the Civil War. You may see his reconstructed shop in the lower town.
IOOF Collar and badge
The three links represent Friendship, Truth, and Love
Grand Sire Thomas Widley, founder of Odd Fellowship in the United States, chartered this pioneer lodge in Harpers Ferry.
Daguerreotype of an American Odd Fellow taken in the mid-1800s.
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Why are they "Odd"
The origin of the name is uncertain. Some believe it was considered "odd" for working class men to join together to help those in need.
Who can join?
Members must be over the age of sixteen, believe in a Supreme Being, and be faithful to their country.
What happens at meetings?
Meetings follow a prescribed ritual and order of business. Members advance in the Order through a series of ceremonies emphasizing high moral character.
How do they serve?
Odd Fellows provide food to poor families, donate medical equipment, assist
Erected by Virginia Lodge No. 1, IOOF.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Fraternal or Sororal Organizations • War, US Civil. A significant historical year for this entry is 1819.
Location. 39° 19.481′ N, 77° 44.432′ W. Marker is in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, in Jefferson County. Marker is on Fillmore Street east of Storer College Place, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 770 Fillmore Street, Harpers Ferry WV 25425, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Storer College Veterans Memorial Gate (a few steps from this marker); The Niagara Movement (a few steps from this marker); Foundations of Freedom (a few steps from this marker); A Land Divided (within shouting distance of this marker); Camp Hill (within shouting distance of this marker); The Black Americans (within shouting distance of this marker); That was the happiest time of my life. (within shouting distance of this marker); The Second Meeting of the Niagara Movement (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Harpers Ferry.
Also see . . . History of Virginia Lodge No. 1, IOOF. (Submitted on May 22, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on May 21, 2021. It was originally submitted on May 22, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 453 times since then and 46 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on May 21, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. 2. submitted on May 22, 2017, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. 3. submitted on April 25, 2020, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.