Tour of the Odd Fellows Museum offered Insight

On a trip to Lincoln for an article for Senior News & Times I spied e a sign saying museum.  For anyone that knows me, that is a cause to slow down and see what the museum is all about, because I admit it, I love museums.  A chance to view stop by the lodge room and museum of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows was too good to pass up.

The museum is located at 845 Wyatt Ave. and is a one room affair.  Besides the museum, the rest of the building appeared to be office space. The one room museum is small, but the offerings are lush. There are examples of the finery worn by men and women and some of the medals and also artifacts from the children’s home that housed orphans for over 100 years.

The building for the children’s home is nearby, but I think only a portion is now used for before and after school care.  The items in the museum were interesting, but the big thing I learned both at the museum and from talking to a man at the Friendship Manor where I did my article is that the Odd Fellows do many charitable acts like offering senior and handicap housing. They help with reading lamps and the DARE program.

I knew they were a Fraternal organization like the Mason’s, but I had no idea of the extent of their charitable acts.