Elks 360 History
Lodge 360’s Application for Dispensation was approved and granted on January 20th, 1897, to Charles McGilveray, William VanCamp, John Lennon and John Mew. The lodge was instituted on February 4th, 1897, by District Deputy Grand Exalted ruler J. F. Brothers of New Haven Lodge, No. 25.
As a new Lodge just forming, it did not have a hall or home of its own. The first formation meetings were held at Forrester’s Hall at Bank and State Streets in New London, just over the corner store with an entrance at 44 State Street. Meetings were later moved to the Knights of Columbus Hall located at 104 State Street above Starr Brothers Drug Store. For the next five years, our meetings were held in the former Brainard Lodge quarters located in the rear of the third floor of the Bacon Building at 65-73 Bank Street.
Purchase of the Elks Home
In 1906, the former Edward T. Brown property located at No. 81 Washington Street was purchased for the development of a Lodge Home. After some alterations, the new home was opened January 17, 1907, but without a Lodge Room. On August 12, 1908 the cornerstone (next to the rear, parking lot entrance) was laid for an addition that was to house a Lodge Room upstairs and a combination bowling alley, card room, and pool room downstairs. For the two year period between our moving into the Lodge Home in 1907 and the opening of the Lodge Hall on January 14, 1909 our meetings were conducted in the Allyn Hall located at 2 Washington Street.
The Lodge Room
From January 1907 until the present our meetings have been held in our own lodge room. The brick structure above was attached to the rear of the Wooden “Brown” home. A photo of this combination was published in the 50th anniversary program booklet, showing the National Guard Armory on our left and a vacant yard on the right. During the administration of P.E.R. Frank McCormick (1927-1929) the lodge room was renovated, refurnished, and refurbished with a new ceiling and a new lighting system. Following his installation in 1928, one of the first acts of Max Boyer was to appoint a committee to arrange a modern “club house” in front of the existing “Lodge Room.” The wooden structure was taken down and a cornerstone laid in 1928 which contained the lodge history, newspapers of that date, and souvenirs and mementos of many members present. The new building was dedicated February 23, 1929 and consisted of a reading room, lounge, and office downstairs and a dining room/auditorium upstairs.
New London Elks Lodge No. 360
Contact
(860) 442-0325
860-629-8371 (reservation line – leave a message)
elks360@gmail.com
Address
81 Washington St., New London, CT 06320