The Three Link Fraternity
Independent Order of the Odd Fellows (IOOF)
Striving to make this world a better place in which to live.
About Odd Fellows Lodge # 314
Founding
Santa Paula Odd Fellows Lodge #314 began with 13 members in 1884. The first Noble Grand was Nathan Weston Blanchard, the founder of the city. [1, 4]
Meeting hall
The Odd Fellows purchased Cleveland Hall in 1889 and held meetings there until a fire destroyed the building. The community raised funds to build a new lodge, which became a Santa Paula landmark. [4]
Clock tower
The Santa Paula clock tower was added to the Odd Fellows meeting hall in 1905. [5]
Holiday train display
The Odd Fellows Lodge Number 314 puts on an annual holiday train display that features a replica of Odd Fellows Hall and its clock tower, a model of the Santa Paula Depot, and a variety of engines. [2]
More about the Independent Order of the Odd Fellows (IOOF)
The IOOF is a fraternal order with lodges around the world. The organization's origins are uncertain, but some historians believe it dates back to the Medieval Trade Guilds of the 12th and 13th centuries. The Odd Fellows' purpose was to help those in need, including visiting the sick, burying the dead, and educating orphans. [3, 4, 6]
[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Order_of_Odd_Fellows
[5] https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-02-11-me-717-story.html