Odd Fellows Hall
Encyclopedia
The Odd Fellows Hall in Covington, Kentucky
is located at the northeast corner of Fifth Street and Madison Avenue. It was constructed in 1856 by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
Lodge, and was the center of Covington's civic and political life for most of the Victorian era
. When the American Civil War
ended, victorious Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant
was honored with a reception there.
In 1900, the body of William Goebel
, the only U.S. governor to be assassinated in office, lay in state there, as an estimated 10,000 people filed past.
In the 1950s, a roller skating
rink filled the second-floor ballroom, famous for its 25 feet (7.6 m)-high ceiling suspended by a truss
system.
In May 2002, a major fire almost destroyed the entire building. It was reduced to its front facade
, back wall, and a three-story column of smoke and charred debris. A new team has restored the hall, with its first tenant taking occupancy in March 2006. Occupants of the building include:
Covington, Kentucky
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 43,370 people, 18,257 households, and 10,132 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,301.3 people per square mile . There were 20,448 housing units at an average density of 1,556.5 per square mile...
is located at the northeast corner of Fifth Street and Madison Avenue. It was constructed in 1856 by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows
Independent Order of Odd Fellows
The Independent Order of Odd Fellows , also known as the Three Link Fraternity, is an altruistic and benevolent fraternal organization derived from the similar British Oddfellows service organizations which came into being during the 18th century, at a time when altruistic and charitable acts were...
Lodge, and was the center of Covington's civic and political life for most of the Victorian era
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
. When the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
ended, victorious Union Gen. Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
was honored with a reception there.
In 1900, the body of William Goebel
William Goebel
William Justus Goebel was an American politician who served as the 34th Governor of Kentucky for a few days in 1900 after having been mortally wounded by an assassin the day before he was sworn in...
, the only U.S. governor to be assassinated in office, lay in state there, as an estimated 10,000 people filed past.
In the 1950s, a roller skating
Roller skating
Roller skating is the traveling on smooth surfaces with roller skates. It is a form of recreation as well as a sport, and can also be a form of transportation. Skates generally come in two basic varieties: quad roller skates and inline skates or blades, though some have experimented with a...
rink filled the second-floor ballroom, famous for its 25 feet (7.6 m)-high ceiling suspended by a truss
Truss
In architecture and structural engineering, a truss is a structure comprising one or more triangular units constructed with straight members whose ends are connected at joints referred to as nodes. External forces and reactions to those forces are considered to act only at the nodes and result in...
system.
In May 2002, a major fire almost destroyed the entire building. It was reduced to its front facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
, back wall, and a three-story column of smoke and charred debris. A new team has restored the hall, with its first tenant taking occupancy in March 2006. Occupants of the building include:
- TiER1 Performance Solutions
- Moody - Nolan Inc
- The Grand, a banquet hall for receptions
External links
- The Grand Banquet Hall
- Photos of the interior of the restored building
- Odd Fellows Hall rises from the ashes
- Odd Fellows fire a profound loss