ODD FELLOWS HALL IN WASHBURNThe hall was built in 1896 in the center of the town on Main street. Some of the charter members of the lodge, George and Arthur Umphreg, Owen K. Story, cut the lumber for the building on a woods lot in Wade, hauled it with teams to the sawmill in Washburn for distance of five or seven miles, and helped put up the building.
In lodge rooms on the second floor, the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs met. A few years later, the Masonic lodge and the Order of the Eastern Star used the hall. A dining room was on the third floor.
When the street level was used for stores, the first to occupy it was Wellington Brothers, who opened up a hardware store. They were followed by Rideout and Wilder, Leslie Smith, Owen K. Story Company, who were also in the hardware business The Owen K. Story Company moved to a different location and the store, space was divided into two sections: One side was rented as a Federal post office, with David L. Duncan, the first postmaster, followed by postmasters, Mrs. Mary Freeman and Matthew W. McManus.
Henry Russell and Gordon Hay each had grocery stores on the other side, and after they vacated, Arnold Ballard opened a lunch room. In 1968, the post office moved to their new building and Donat Rossignol's barber shop filled the vacancy.
The store space was finally converted into a dining room and kitchen, the original dining room having been condemned.
The Washburn Rotary Club held their meetings there until the building was sold in December, they now meet at the Washburn Grade School Cafeteria, The barber shop moved into a building owned by H. A. Learnard and Sons, on Main Street.
As soon as the huilding is competely torn down the lot will be used for parking.
[February 1970]