Cheverton - I.O.O.F. Block - the original 1889 building
(four window bays on the right) was enlarged in 1910 (three
window bays on the left) Courtesy of Lorraine Draper |
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William Frost constructed the eastern portion of this two-story
quartzite building in c.1889. A few years later, in 1896, Frost
sold the building, at a cost of $6,000 to the International Order
of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) which had been renting the second floor.
Upon purchasing the building, the I.O.O.F. removed the Cheverton
Block stone atop of the building and replaced it with the I.O.O.F.
initials, which still grace the building today. The I.O.O.F. was
a fraternal organization that began as a convivial society and mutual
benefit organization. The I.O.O.F. used elaborate rituals to form
a network of kinship ties through which the organization practiced
its mutual aid, and also acted as a form of social club.
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Sketch of Cheverton Block, 1889
Courtesy of Pipestone County Historical Society |
The I.O.O.F. purchased the adjoining lot to the west in 1910 and
constructed a nearly matching building, except for the segmented
arches over the second floor windows. The original east arches were
constructed of sandstone, while the newer west ones are gray pink
Sioux quartzite. Like many commercial buildings throughout the Midwest,
the building housed two stores until the Ben Franklin store moved
in and combined them. In the late 19th century, the building also
accommodated an opera house on the second floor. I.O.O.F. remained
in the second floor until the early 1970s. The first floor facade
has been altered several times, removing recognizable traces of
its original character. The second floor, however, still retains
much of its original historic fabric, including oak trim and the
original pressed tin ceiling.
The Cheverton-I.O.O.F. Block is located at 115 W. Main St.,
Pipestone and is open to the public during regular business hours
as the Hobby Shoppe.
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