Knights of Pythias Building (Virginia City, Nevada)
Encyclopedia
The Knights of Pythias Building, also known as the Knights of Pythias Hall is an historic Knights of Pythias
lodge hall located in Virginia City, Nevada
. It was built of cast iron and stuccoed brick in 1876 by Nevada Lodge No. 1 of the Knights of Pythias, which had had been formed on March 23, 1873. It was also used the city's other Knights of Pythias lodges: Lincoln Lodge No. 6 formed in 1874, and Triumph Lodge No. 11 formed in 1879. It one of the few unaltered false-fronted buildings remaining in Virginia City. The Knights of Pythias Building is a contributing property
in the Virginia City Historic District which was declared a National Historic Landmark
in 1961 and added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1966.
Like many fraternal buildings, the upper floor was used for the lodge hall while the first floor was rented out. An 1880 map shows the first floor being occupied by The Armory.
Knights of Pythias
The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and secret society founded at Washington, DC, on 19 February 1864.The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an act of the United States Congress. It was founded by Justus H. Rathbone, who had been...
lodge hall located in Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City, Nevada
Virginia City is a census-designated place that is the county seat of Storey County, Nevada. It is part of the Reno–Sparks Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 855 at the 2010 Census.- History :...
. It was built of cast iron and stuccoed brick in 1876 by Nevada Lodge No. 1 of the Knights of Pythias, which had had been formed on March 23, 1873. It was also used the city's other Knights of Pythias lodges: Lincoln Lodge No. 6 formed in 1874, and Triumph Lodge No. 11 formed in 1879. It one of the few unaltered false-fronted buildings remaining in Virginia City. The Knights of Pythias Building is a contributing property
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
in the Virginia City Historic District which was declared a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 1961 and added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1966.
Like many fraternal buildings, the upper floor was used for the lodge hall while the first floor was rented out. An 1880 map shows the first floor being occupied by The Armory.