Birth of the Lodge...
The Beaverton Elks Lodge had a somewhat strange beginning. It all started with a meeting
in a cemetery office in mid-July, 1955 and, since then, has grown into the Lodge we call home today.
The second meeting was held on July 21st at the Rod and Gun Club on Canyon Road, Beaverton.
Harry Teel was temporary chairman at the beginning but resigned on August 4th. Ben Wheeler then
took over as chairman of the group with Ed Banks as the acting Secretary. The group began to grow and the Rod & Gun Club soon became too small so the group moved to the Whistling Pig Cafe in West Slope. During these organizational meetings Clifton B Mudd of Salem represented Grand Lodge as a special deputy. Robert Mulvey, Past Exalted Ruler of Oregon City, presided at a meeting on October 27, 1955 where officers were nominated and an announcement of the signing of the 400th member was made. At this point plans were starting to be formulated for the institution of a new lodge.
On December 3, 1955, Past Grand Exalted Ruler Frank J Lonergan and Elk dignitaries from all over
the state gathered in Beaverton for the institution of the new Lodge. Clifton B Mudd of Salem was
director of ceremonies and was assisted by District Deputy HM Randall of Salem and Frank Hise of Corvallis.
The initiation of the largest class in Elks history (at the time) was conducted by Officers of Portland Lodge #142,
headed by Exalted Ruler Thomas J Baker. It consisted of 505 new members and 121 transfers. The ceremony took place at the Beaverton High School gymnasium as the new Lodge had no facilities of its own at the time.
Charter Initiation of Beaverton Lodge #1989
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The New Lodge
Officers were selected to head the new Lodge with Neal Meagher(pictured at right) as the first
Exalted Ruler of Beaverton Lodge #1989.
The first officers of Lodge #1989 were Gilbert Burk, Esteemed Leading Knight; Ben Wheeler, Esteemed Loyal Knight;
Cletus Johnson, Esteemed Lecturing Knight; AL Chadwick, Esquire; EM Streight, Assistant Esquire; Dr Tom Lipscomb, Chaplain; Thayne Cole,
Inner Guard; Ed Banks, Secretary; Howard Muschalik, Treasurer; GF Abts, Organist and Stanley Byrns, Tiler.
First Officers of Beaverton Lodge #1989
For the first few weeks meetings were held at Huber Hall in nearby Huber, OR. On January 19, 1956, the Elks leased the former
Figaro Supper Club in Beaverton and moved in there. On April 26th the new Officers initiated 75 new members at the CE Mason School
because of the lack of space in the new club rooms. Later large initiations were held at the Beaverton High School.
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Getting Down to Business
1956
Beaverton Lodge settled down to work with Elmer Anderson as the first Club Manager. The "baby buggy" was shortly presented to St. Helens Lodge
with 80 members taking part in the festivities. (The "baby buggy" was an actual baby buggy that was presented to each new lodge in the
state as it was instituted. The buggy would be presented by the former "baby lodge" and the new "baby" lodge would keep the buggy until another
lodge was born)
A Drill Team was organized and on May 5th the Youth Activities Committee, under the direction of Bruce Reed, sponsored their first Track Meet
which was won by Merle Davies School. At the State Track Meet in Seaside, Oregon that year the new Drill Team took first place and the float
won all the ribbons! (True, there were no other entries, but we still got all the ribbons!)
Blood was the next activity for the Lodge with the Bloodmobile collecting 192 pints, a record for this area. The first of the annual Picnics
was held at George Charneski's farm on August 19th with Art McQullian manning the helm.
The Officers of Beaverton Lodge participated in the State
Ritual contest at Bend, OR and surprised everyone by taking 4th place. Neil Meagher was first in state for Exalted Ruler and Dr Tom Lipscomb was second as Chaplain. The Lodge's women auxillery, The Belles, was organized and assisted in the 1956 March of Dimes drive.
1957
New officers for 1957 were installed on April 11th with Gil Burk as Exalted Ruler. New faces included "Cap" Halverson as Loyal Knight; Jack Lewis, Treasurer; Bruce Reed, Inner Guard and Jack Stevenson, Esquire.
The Drill Teams visited the San Francisco national Convention, giving much distinction to Beaverton Lodge. In the first scholarship contest in which the Lodge participated, Gary Neal of Beaverton won second place, winning an $800.00 award. A drive was planned for funds to add to the Beaverton building but nothing happened.
1958
In April, Ben Wheeler was installed as Exalted Ruler. Announcement was made of a new Boy Scout troop and Merle Davies School won the track meet. A special highlight of that meet was Committee Chairman Fred Waker appearing in shorts. (Remember, this was 1958!) The Lodge unanimously voted to buy the Lutheran Church building but, because of deed restrictions, the plan was later dropped.
Ted Vislisel was in charge of the third annual picnic which was again a success. Red Herr was crying for hides...the four-legged kind. Because of the sudden passing of Leading Knight EM Streight, Jack Stevenson was elected to the post.
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Solidifying the Future
On January 29th, Exalted Ruler Wheeler announced the purchase of four acres of land at 104th St where the new home of the Lodge would be built.
1959
Jack Stevenson was now Exalted Ruler and announced full steam ahead on the plans for the new building. The building bond drive under Fred Waker was fast
moving toward its goal and the Trustees bought and sold the old building.
1960
In April, 1960, Grand Exalted Ruler William Hawkins, on an official visit to the state, assisted in the ground-breaking ceremonies for the new building. The building was now a certainty!
Tilting up the concrete walls of the new Lodge
1961
Bruce Reed was the new Exalted Ruler with Joe Graffam as his Esquire. Tigard
won the track meet in record breaking style.
The new building was dedicated February 23-25, 1961 and the first meeting in it
was held on August 25th with members sitting on boards and boxes.
The new Lodge building was considered architectural state-of-the-art in 1961.
It was constructed of tilt-up concrete slabs and sported a very "modern" look.
(Click on each photo for a larger version)
Ted Vislisel again headed the picnic gang and the Lodge Officers competed at
the ritualistic contect in Salem, taking 16th place. (Hmmmmmmm!)
The first dance in the new building was held on October 29th with approximately
575 attending. Both Christmas and New Years parties packed the place! The
charity Purple Bubble Ball was another huge success with the Eye Clinic fund
as beneficiary.
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Favorite Snapshots from our Past
Combined Drill Team, circa 1960
State Ritual Team, 1961
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