The Red Men Hall is a historic clubhouse in Lagro, Indiana completed in 1911. The National Register of Historic Places listed the building in 2020.[1]
I.O.R.M. Hall, Tonkawa No. 126 | |
   | |
| Location | 820 Washington Street, Lagro, Indiana 46941 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°50′11″N 85°43′41″W / 40.83639°N 85.72806°W |
| Built | 1911 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular, Early Commercial |
| Restored by | Lagro Canal Foundation |
| NRHP reference No. | 100005871[1] |
| Added to NRHP | December 1, 2020 |
History
editThe Improved Order of Red Men is a fraternal organization that established a Lagro chapter or "tribe" in 1888 and named it after the Tonkawa people. The group's rituals are based on perceived Native American customs.[2]
As of 1904, the local group had 41 members and, by 1911, was large enough to fund construction of a lodge building, called a "wigwam". [3] However, by 1948, the declining lodge surrendered its charter.[4]
Beginning in 2017, the volunteer-based Lagro Canal Foundation has gradually rehabbed the building by replacing the roof, restoring the facade, and removing debris from the interior.[5] The group plans for historic preservation to encourage economic redevelopment.[6]
Architecture
editThe 1911 building reflects both vernacular and early commercial architectural styles. The two-story structure consists of a street-level storefront while the second level contains a meeting room for the lodge. The building shares a common wall with the Masonic Temple, forming a commercial block. The facade of the building is brick with three bays and an inlaid "IORM" detail.[4] When the front facade was repointed in 2020, the locally sourced bricks were found to be a non-standard size, so replacements bricks were repurposed from the hidden side wall.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "National Register of Historic Places Weekly Lists 2020" (PDF). National Park Service. National Register of Historic Places. December 28, 2020. p. 142. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
- ^ Deloria, Philip J. (1998). Playing Indian. Yale University Press. pp. 59–65.
- ^ Watts, Thomas H. (2015) [Originally Published September 1904]. "Record of the Great Council of the United States of the Improved Order of Red Men". University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Retrieved April 27, 2024 – via The Internet Archive.
- ^ a b "Historic Preservation November, 2020, through May, 2021" (PDF). Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology. Indiana Department of Natural Resources. May 2021. p. 16. Retrieved April 27, 2024.
- ^ a b Slacian, Joseph (Spring 2021). "Lagro Revitalization". Business Journal. The Paper of Wabash County. pp. 15–20. Retrieved April 27, 2024 – via Issuu.
- ^ "The Power of Small". Indiana Landmarks. December 18, 2017. Retrieved April 27, 2024.