Elks Building
The Missoula Elks Club Building is one of the oldest and most recognizable structures in Downtown Missoula. Constructed in 1911, the building’s monumental columns, balconies, window surround and scrolled brackets make it a fine example of institutional, neoclassical architecture.
Many people wonder who and where the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks was organized. The BPOE or “Elks” was one of a number of originally all-male civic organizations formed after the Civil War. Formed initially in New York in 1868, the Elks received a charter from the New York Legislature. Local Charter No. 1 was established in New York in 1871. The BPOE initially was comprised of actors and performers. But it quickly grew in popularity with “lodges organizing throughout the United States. By the later 19th century, the social club had grown to include leading merchants and political individuals in communities across the country interested in raising money to support local projects. The Elks began admitting women to the organization in 1995. As with other contemporary fraternal organizations such as the “Moose”, the Elks drew its name from a regal American mammal that symbolized the grandeur of the BPOE’s mission.
The Missoula Elks Lodge received its charter in 1898 and purchased the land where the current building is situated in 1904. This building has undergone a number of major renovations, which included adding apartments on the third floor. Although membership in the Elks has waned over the past decades, there has been a renewal of interest in its mission and in its local support for scholarships and community projects.
Credits and Sources:
National Register of Historic Places Nomination
Elks History Project, elks.org.
