Elks Lodge Building (Flint, Michigan) facts for kids
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Elks Lodge Building
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The Elks Lodge Building, September 2014
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 142 W. 2nd St., Flint, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1913 |
| Built by | H.V. Synder & Son |
| Architect | Malcomson and Higginbotham |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, Second Renaissance Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001497 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 4, 1978 |
The Elks Lodge Building in Flint, Michigan, also called the Old Elks Building, is a historic place built in 1913. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, which means it's an important building worth protecting.
Contents
History of the Elks Lodge
The Elks Lodge is a social club that started in New York City in 1868. The Flint chapter, called Elks Lodge 222, began in 1891. At first, they met in a few rooms in the Ward Building in downtown Flint.
Finding a Bigger Home
By 1900, the club needed more space. They moved to the Judd Block. At this time, there were only 28 members. But the club grew very quickly! By 1902, the Elks moved again, this time to a whole floor in the new Dryden Building.
However, by 1912, the club had over 1,000 members. They really needed a much bigger and better place to meet. The Lodge started a special fundraising effort. William C. Durant, who helped start the club, led this campaign.
Building the New Lodge
In 1913, the Elks Lodge bought the land where the building stands today. They hired a company from Detroit, Malcomson and Higginbotham, to design their new building. A company from Battle Creek, H.V. Synder & Son, was chosen to build it. The beautiful new Elks Lodge Building officially opened in March 1914.
Famous Members of the Club
Many important people from Flint were members of Elks Lodge 222. These included William C. Durant and his business partner J. Dallas Dort. Other famous members were Walter Chrysler, who founded Chrysler Corporation, and Harry Basset, who was president of Buick. William S. Ballenger Sr., Charles Barth, Doc Treat, Charles Williams Nash, and Charles Stewart Mott were also members.
According to Edward Soloman, a historian for the Flint Elks Lodge, "Back then, everyone who was anyone was part of the [Elks] club."
Changes Over Time
Over the years, the number of members in the Elks club slowly went down. By the early 1970s, there were much fewer members. In 1971, the club decided to sell their historic building. They moved to a new location in Grand Blanc on East Maple Avenue.
The old Elks Lodge Building was put up for sale in 2015. It was listed for $375,000.
About the Building's Design
The Flint Elks Club is a two-and-a-half-story building made of brick. It is three sections wide and has a sloped roof covered with shiny tiles. The building's style is called Second Renaissance Revival, but it's a simpler version.
Looking at the Details
On the first floor, the main entrance is in the middle. The door is surrounded by smooth limestone and has glazed, earthy-colored tiles above it. Small windows are on each side of the doorway. Larger, twin windows are in the sections to the left and right.
The second floor is taller than the first. It has two tall, rounded-arch windows on the sides. The middle section of the second floor has five narrow windows. The third floor is shorter. It has a fancy decorative band of art that goes across the front of the building and around to the sides.
