IOOF Building
On January 30, 1873, the architectural firm of Payne and Lacy was commissioned to draw plans for a building to be used by both the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) and Masons in San Diego. The building, built of brick brought from San Francisco, was constructed in a pseudo Italian Renaissance style adapted to commercial buildings of its day. Due to fund raising and building difficulties, the final corner-stone wasn’t placed until March 7, 1882. A parade kicked off the long awaited ceremony, a casket containing valuable coins, historic documents, and even a stone from Solomon’s Temple were placed in the corner-stone and ancient ceremonial and lengthy speeches were given. The lodges shared the second floor until the Masons moved to a new hall in 1910. The building is a San Diego Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
San Diego, San Diego County
Photographer: John Bare