Boyne City’s Historical Past

Categories: Uncategorized

By Boyne City Main Street on March 19, 2025

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Continuing our series of historical markers – this marker is a tribute to The Odd Fellow’s Hall and is located at 214 Water Street.

The International Order of Odd Fellows built this grand hall in 1906. The hall was constructed by J.I. Gee and it was the first poured concrete building. The walls are sixteen inches thick and reinforced with rock and railroad ties. The I.O.O.F motif is proudly displayed on the top of the building, which represents friendship, love and trust.

Throughout the years many businesses have occupied the ground floor including Gardener’s, the Post Office, The Citizen, Thompkin’s Chicken Hatchery and Dell’s Hairdressers to name a few.

The second floor rooms were used for the Odd Fellows and Rebekah (female auxiliary) lodge meetings, family entertainment and pot luck dinners. Special events were often held on Friday nights, such as big game dinners and rounds of boxing. The third floor of the building is a balcony, which looks down onto the second floor. Harry Houdini frequently visited Boyne City and performed his magic shows here in the early1900’s!