Choir performs in ornate hall with large pipe organ - masonic and fraternal halls

Self-guided · County in Iowa

Masonic and Fraternal Halls in Des Moines County, IA

Masonic temples, Odd Fellows halls and grange halls near you, the meeting places of the old fraternal orders.

Most residents could not tell you which local buildings are on the National Register. Des Moines County is one of 99 counties in Iowa. The record can, and the closest listings to Des Moines County, IA are below.

Woman stands on piano addressing a large crowd - masonic and fraternal halls — Photo: Smithsonian on Unsplash

Red neon sign for masonic temple at dusk - masonic and fraternal halls — Photo: Matt Benson on Unsplash

A large stone building - masonic and fraternal halls — Photo: Abel Doñé on Unsplash

On the record near Des Moines County, IA

The 12 nearest

13 listed sites on the record match masonic and fraternal halls within 120 miles of Des Moines County, IA, out of 92 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles. 25 listed sites carry Des Moines County as their county.

Masonic Temple Theater23 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Mount Pleasant · listed 1991National Register of Historic Places
Odd Fellows Opera Block46 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Ellisville · listed 1996National Register of Historic Places
Vermont Masonic Hall53 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Vermont · listed 1988National Register of Historic Places
Wupperman Block/I.O.O.F. Hall56 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Davenport · listed 1983National Register of Historic Places
Masonic Opera House74 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · What Cheer · listed 1973National Register of Historic Places
Masonic Temple88 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Kirksville · listed 2010National Register of Historic Places
IOOF Building89 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Maquoketa · listed 1991National Register of Historic Places
Odd Fellows Hall97 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Monticello · listed 1985National Register of Historic Places
Onawa IOOF Opera House99 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Onawa · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
Sterling Masonic Temple100 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Sterling · listed 1996National Register of Historic Places
Odd Fellows Hall104 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Troy Mills · listed 1985National Register of Historic Places
Polo Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge No. 197114 miles from the center of Des Moines County · Building · Polo · listed 2004National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Des Moines County, IA. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Fraternal Halls in Des Moines County, step by step

1
See every listed site of this kind in the area
2
Sort by distance and pick the closest few
3
Read the record for the year, the builder and the use
4
View from the public way and note what has changed
5
Collect the set and move on to the next county

What people in Des Moines County, IA ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Des Moines County, IA?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are these buildings open to the public?

Some are, many are not. Churches, courthouses and libraries usually keep regular hours. Houses, barns and mills are often private and best seen from the road. The record for each site tells you which kind it is.

What does it mean when a site is on the National Register?

It means the property was documented and accepted as historically significant. Listing honors the site, it does not open it to visitors or stop an owner from using it.

How a visit works in Des Moines County

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Des Moines County, IA the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Des Moines County, IA are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.