Elks Building
Marshall, Harrison County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Designed by noted east Texas architect Cornelius Granville Lancaster as a crown jewel of Marshall’s shopping district, the 1903 Elks Building served as the headquarters for lodge 683 of the Benevolent Paternal Order of Elks. Lodge 683 organized on April 19, 1901, at Newman Hall in downtown Marshall. Soon, a building committee was established and C.G. Lancaster was chosen as architect with the Moose Brothers as the builders. Organization activities such as meetings and events were held here until 1953 when the Elks Lodge moved to Austin and Alamo Streets. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark – 2017
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Designed by prominent East Texas architect Cornelius Granville Lancaster, the 1903 Elks Building was conceived as a showpiece of Marshall's downtown shopping district. It served as headquarters for Elks Lodge 683, which had organized in 1901 at Newman Hall, and hosted the lodge's meetings and events until 1953. The building remains a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.
Why it matters
The Elks Building reflects the civic pride and fraternal culture of a prosperous Gilded Age and Progressive-era Texas town, expressed through ambitious commercial architecture.
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Related people
- · Cornelius Granville Lancaster
Themes & tags
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