I stumbled upon this old Elk’s Lodge in Wilkesboro in March of 2023.
I had hoped to go back for more pictures, but by June it had already been demolished.
This building was the original meeting place of lodge #1846 of Wilkesboro, NC. It was vacated in 2016 and sold to a developer in 2020 for $200,000 The lodge currently meets at a smaller building on Cherry Street in town.
The house-like structure in the first picture was originally just that. The home of P.W. Eschelman. He built it for his family in 1923. The Elks took ownership in 1955 and eventually expanded the structure to meet their needs.
The large facility hosted a number of amenities, including a 75 seat bar downstairs, a lounge upstairs, and seating for up to 275 diners. Lunch and Dinner were readily available in it’s heyday, with buffets quite often.
The lesson here is when you see something, see as much of it as you can, because tomorrow is uncertain.
https://thewilkesrecord.com/old-elks-lodge-building-demolished-p6466-149.htm
I was beautiful my mother in law was the Manger there for over 20 years. There maybe pictures I can find. There was a garden room with wall mirrors. The den was were the ladies played bridge and it was a den brick fire place book shelves and the smell of burden and cigarettes as they played after dinner. There was a ball room separated by a huge sliding curtain where the rotary club met and many Christmas partys I carried tea and water to fill up glasses. My favorite room was the magnolia room it was hunter green with long green curtains like gone with the wind. Hard wood floors throughout except the ballroom. Upstairs was the bar which I never understood people going up and down stairs after drinking lol. The Upstairs had a bathroom with a bathtub the biggest tale that it was once a House. They said it was haunted. It was a magnificent place and I so whish it would have remained as a landmark if nothing more.