I.O.R.M. Hall, Tonkawa No. 126 | |
Location | 820 Washington Street, Lagro, Indiana 46941 |
---|---|
Coordinates | 40°50′11″N 85°43′41″W / 40.83639°N 85.72806°W |
Built | 1911 |
Architectural style | Vernacular, Early Commercial |
Restored by | Lagro Canal Foundation |
NRHP reference No. | 100005871[1] |
Added to NRHP | December 1, 2020 |
The Red Men Hall is a historic clubhouse in Lagro, Indiana completed in 1911. The National Register of Historic Places listed the building in 2020.[1]
The Improved Order of Red Men is a fraternal organization that established a Lagro chapter or "tribe" in 1888 and named it after the Tonkawa people. The group's rituals are based on perceived Native American customs.[2]
As of 1904, the local group had 41 members and, by 1911, was large enough to fund construction of a lodge building, called a "wigwam". [3] However, by 1948, the declining lodge surrendered its charter.[4]
Beginning in 2017, the volunteer-based Lagro Canal Foundation has gradually rehabbed the building by replacing the roof, restoring the facade, and removing debris from the interior.[5] The group plans for historic preservation to encourage economic redevelopment.[6]
The 1911 building reflects both vernacular and early commercial architectural styles. The two-story structure consists of a street-level storefront while the second level contains a meeting room for the lodge. The building shares a common wall with the Masonic Temple, forming a commercial block. The facade of the building is brick with three bays and an inlaid "IORM" detail.[4] When the front facade was repointed in 2020, the locally sourced bricks were found to be a non-standard size, so replacements bricks were repurposed from the hidden side wall.[5]