Kenosha Elks Club facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kenosha Elks Club |
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Kenosha Elks Club building in 1938
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| Location | 5706 Eighth Ave, Kenosha, Wisconsin |
| Built | 1917 |
| Architect | R. Messmer & Bros. |
| Architectural style(s) | Georgian Revival |
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The Kenosha Elks Club is a special old building in Kenosha, Wisconsin. It used to be a meeting place for a group called the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Construction on this building started in 1916. It was officially opened on January 20, 1919.
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History of the Elks Club Building
Plans to build a clubhouse for the Kenosha Elks began in 1916. About 300 members promised $65,000 to buy the land. This land used to have a building called the Petit Malt House, which burned down in 1914.
The land was bought for $41,000 in June 1916. By the fall of that year, building plans were ready. A company called Immel Construction Company started working on the site.
Building Features and Dedication
A special "cornerstone" was put in place in June 1917. On January 20, 1919, the club officially opened the building. It was quite fancy for its time! It had a hotel, a swimming pool, and many places to eat.
Zalmon G. Simmons, who started the Simmons Bedding Company, was one of the people on the building committee. He helped make sure the club was built.
Building Style and Design
The building is made of red brick and has four stories. It was built in a style called Georgian Revival. This style often looks grand and balanced.
The first floor has bricks that look rough and textured. The corners of the building have special brick patterns called quoins. The front entrance is very noticeable. It has a large covered porch called a portico.
This portico has tall, two-story Doric columns. These columns stand on square brick supports. Behind them are flat brick decorations called pilasters. These frame round-arched windows with decorative fan-shaped windows above them.
Special Events and Changes
In April 1929, the club held a big party. Elks officials from all over the country came. They celebrated by burning the building's mortgage. This meant they had paid off the loan for the building.
Sometime after 1938, the building was made bigger. An addition was built on the southwest side. This was to make the kitchen larger.
Over the years, many famous people visited the Elks Club. These guests included singer Mel Tormé and Colonel Sanders, who founded KFC.
By the early 1990s, the club started having money problems. Because of this, the building was sold around that time.
From the 1990s to Today
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In the early 1990s, the building had several different owners. At one point, it was renamed the Heritage House Inn. Some owners tried to open a restaurant, but it didn't work out.
Sadly, the building was not taken care of very well. Water pipes burst in the winter because the water was not turned off. This caused damage inside.
A New Owner and Repairs
In the late 1990s, a local kind person named Andrea Christensen bought the building. Her husband owned a local metal factory. Ms. Christensen spent a lot of money to fix the damage. She repaired what the previous owners had neglected.
After the repairs, the building was rented out. It became a place for a local restaurant and was used for special events and parties.
During this time, the building still welcomed important guests. In April 2000, Dennis Hastert visited. He was the Speaker of the House at the time. He spoke at a dinner for a Republican group.
In the mid-2000s, the restaurant that ran the banquet facilities closed down. After that, the building and its land were not used and became empty.
Fire Incident
On the afternoon of October 28, 2011, a firefighter saw smoke coming from the building. Five different fire departments came to help. The fire was mostly on the second floor. It was in the middle of the ballroom and damaged the floor. It also damaged the dining rooms below.
Saving the Building
On December 23, 2011, the City of Kenosha ordered the building to be torn down. But a group called "Preserve the Elks" formed to save it. They wanted to stop the demolition.
On March 22, 2012, Kenosha's Historic Preservation Committee voted. They decided to wait 120 days before making a final decision about tearing it down.
The City of Kenosha said that many people were interested in the building.
In 2017, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
In the summer of 2018, the building was brought back to life! It was renovated and renamed The Stella Hotel & Ballroom. It officially opened in early 2019, starting a new chapter for this historic place.
