In 1908, the large number of the members of the Elks Lodge
living in Rocky Ford, who at that time, as individuals, were
using the facilities of the Rocky Ford Business Men’s
Club, located in the upstairs of the Maxwell Building, now
Hamilton Variety Store, felt that we should have a Lodge of
Elks in Rocky Ford.
In canvassing the situation relative to this matter, it
was ascertained that such a Lodge could only be instituted
in a town of not less than 5,000 population. After weeks of
canvassing, and a cost of approximately $40.00, it was determined
that there were exactly 5,000 people residing in Rocky Ford.
While Rocky Ford has not declined in population, that many
people have not been counted in this area since, with the
exception of on Watermelon Day. A special dispensation was
granted, and La Junta Lodge No. 701 B.P.O.E., under the “Grand
Lodge of Emergency,” was opened on April 8, 1909, with
officers from La Junta filling the chairs.
At the charter meeting, twenty-three petitions were received
for membership, all of whom were initiated at a subsequent
meeting. In May 1911, the trustees purchased what was then
known as the J. H. Avard property, and now the site of the
present Elks Home.
A committee was appointed in 1913 to work with the Trustees,
to raise funds of not to exceed $25,000.00, to cover the cost
of building a home. At that time, there were no filling stations,
and a very few rest-rooms in Rocky Ford, and one of the talking
points of the raising of funds was that all women in this
area should, at all times, have free access to the women’s
rest room in the new Lodge Building, and further, that
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all public meetings for the good of this community
were at liberty to use the Lodge Room, or other rooms, as
a meeting place.
The Rocky Ford Business Men’s Club donated their pool
tables, card tables, and chairs to the new Home, and such
facilities are still in use
The building was contracted for late 1913 and finished in
the spring of 1914. The opening night of the new building
was scheduled for the fore part of May 1914. After working
all day, until late in the afternoon, the committee adjourned
to clean up for the evening’s celebration. During the
dinner hour, the “Heavens opened up,” and we had
a tremendous rain and hail storm that flooded Rocky Ford.
The meeting was necessarily postponed for one week.
No carnival ever used such means to raise money as the Elks
did on that evening. There was the Bingo Game, side show of
Red Bats from Arkansas, the Tree Dwellers, and more.
Last, but not least, there was the raffling of the “Dime and Ring.”
No one could purchase more than ten chances at 10 cents a
chance, and there was over $250.00 cleared on this raffle
alone. The winner, a party by the name of Rogers, being a
Western Union operator here at that time, insisted on purchasing
more than $1.00 worth of chances, and was quite provoked,
because he could not do so. When the winner was announced,
and the prize delivered, he wanted to “whip” everyone
in the audience. The evening was a grand success, and a lot
of money was made for the local Lodge. |
