Odd Fellows Hall, Sycamore & Summitt Streets, Gainesville

Source document Quoted word for word from HABS GA,70-GAIN,1-. Not written, edited or summarised by this site.

The Odd Fellows Hall, built represents the achievements of Gainesville's black community. Designed by James Dawson O'Kelley, a black architect, the building was constructed with funds donated by statewide contributions from lodge members. PART I. HISTORICAL INFORMATION A. Physical History: 1. Date of erection: The Odd Fellows Hall was completed in May and dedicated on June 8, 2. Architect: James Dawson O'Kelley was the architect and contractor. 3. Original and subsequent owners: The land was bought by the Union Jarah Lodge Number from Mr. Fletcher M. Johnson in April, for A structure was subsequently built which burned on December 12, The current structure was built in In February, the building was deeded to the Union Jarah Benevolent Association.

They eventually transferred the property to the Chamblee family, who owned it until the Federal Highway Administration took over. ODD FELLOW'S HALL (Chamblee Building) HABS No. GA-1168 (Page 2) 4. Original plans and construction: The structure was completed at a cost of the funds were raised by statewide contributions from lodge members. Mr. R.A. Chamblee was chairman of the building committee. 5. Alterations and additions: A mural has recently been added to the east elevation. B. Historical Events and Persons Connected with the Structure: 1. Union Jarah Lodge Number The Gainesville Lodge was a part of the Georgia Jurisdiction, Grand United Order of Odd Fellows of America, the black counterpart of the white International Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.).

The Georgia Jurisdiction had their district Grand Lodge in Atlanta on Auburn Avenue (dedicated The state organization also was the headquarters for their national journal, the weekly Atlanta Independent. The editor of this publication and one of the key figures in the Odd Fellows organization was Benjamin Jefferson Davis. The Gainesville Lodge was composed of 75 members. This was an important percentage of the county's black male adult population (the black population of Hall County included males, 867 of which were of voting age). The dedication of the new structure was on June 8, A special train brought members from Atlanta for the day. Plans were for speeches, and two softball games, with people expected for the day.

Before the fire the Gainesville Lodge was used for a variety of purposes. Groups who used its facilities included: The Households of Ruth, Knights of Pythia, Courts of Calanthe, Masons, and Ladies Courts, who held their meetings on the second floor. The lower level was used for a funeral parlor, barbershop, and an insurance company. The new lodge had the same uses with the addition in August, of Dr. N.A. Doyle who ran a drug company with a soda fountain. 2. James Dawson O'Kelley: James Dawson O'Kelley was born around in Flowery Branch, Hall County, Georgia. O'Kelley had little, if any, formal schooling, and none in architecture. O'Kelley built the Odd Fellows Hall in and was referred to as contractor, builder, and architect.

The announcement of the completion of the structure in five months won him great praise from the May 30, Atlanta Independent (page 8): "He deserves no little commendation for this striking ODD FELLOW'S HALL (Chamblee Building) HABS No. GA-1168 (Page 3) example of his native genius and talent, for certainly no man could have designed, planned, and constructed such a building without great native ability." In he constructed a home for his son on Summitt Street near one he had built for himself. These were the first black-owned homes on this street which bordered close to Spring Street, the white neighborhood. It is not known whether or not these buildings are still standing.

The O'Kelley family moved to Atlanta around In O'Kelley is said to have constructed a building in Stone Mountain, which is remembered as having been built for recreational purposes. This may have been one of the Federally funded projects of the era, such as the Stone Mountain Auditorium While he was in Atlanta O'Kelley was engaged in the shoe repair business which he continued in until his death in Tampa, Florida, in B. Bibliography; 1. Primary and unpublished sources: Deed Book 1, Hall County, Georgia Superior Court, Deed Book 63, Hall County, Georgia Superior Court. Thomas, Kenneth H. The Odd Fellows Hall (The Chamblee Building). Atlanta: Historic Preservation Section, Department of Natural Resources, June, U.S.

Census: Hall County, Georgia Volume II, Interviews with Mattie Moon of Gainesville, Georgia; Lottie demons of Indianapolis, Indiana; and Ruth Ellison of Atlanta, Georgia in June 2. Secondary and published sources: "Gainesville News Briefs." Independent (Atlanta), August 22, "Grand Excursion to Gainesville." Independent (Atlanta), August 22, "A Trip to Gainesville." Independent (Atlanta), May 23, ODD FELLOW'S HALL (Chamblee Building) HABS No. GA-1168 (Page 4) "An Appeal for Help." Independent (Atlanta), January 17, Independent (Atlanta), March 22, 1:1 (dedication of Atlanta Odd Fellows Hall). Independent (Atlanta), January 3, Independent (Atlanta), May 30, Page 8 (includes photos of O'Kelley and Gainesville Lodge).

"New Face for an Old Site." Times (Gainesville, Georgia) December 22, "Odd Fellows hall at Gainesville Destroyed by Fire." Independent (Atlanta), January 3, Prepared by Kenneth H. Thomas, Jr. Historic Preservation Section Department of Natural Resources June Edited by Mary Beth Betts Historic American Buildings Survey Washington, June PART II. ARCHITECTURAL INFORMATION The Odd Fellows Hall is a rectangular, twelve-bay front, two story structure, constructed of brick. The regularly placed, segmental arched openings allowed multiple and changing functions to be housed in one building. There are five doorways on the first floor of the south (front) elevation, generally flanked by windows, except for the second from the corner (which is flanked on one side by a door).

The second story windows are double hung sash, two over two lights. There is a stepped brick cornice. A mural has been added to the east elevation. Before this occured one could see the glazed or pigmented headers (an unusual treatment for Georgia buildings of this date) which provided a striking pattern to this end of the structure. The interior is composed of shops on the first floor, and a large assembly hall on the second. Prepared by Kenneth H. Thomas, Jr. Historic Preservation Section Department of Natural Resources June ODD FELLOW'S HALL (Chamblee Building) HABS No- GA-1168 (Page 5) PART III. PROJECT INFORMATION This project was undertaken by the U.S.

Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration in compliance with Executive Order and a Memorandum of Agreement with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation as a mitigative effort in the widening of State Route 11. John A. Burns, AIA was the HABS project coordinator. The written data was prepared by Kenneth H. Thomas, Jr. of the Historic Preservation Section, Department of Natural Resources, State of Georgia, in June The data was edited in the HABS office by Mary Beth Betts in June Photographs were taken in August, by David Kaminsky.