Saranac Lake Elks Club; Church Street Extension is at the left side of the photograph. The Hotel Saranac sign can just be seen above the Elks Club, and the dome of Harrietstown Town Hall is at right. (undated, c. 1980)
Address: torn down in August 1993
Old Address: 21 Bloomingdale Avenue
Other names: Now the site of Walgreens, with its entrance on the other side of its new building, 173 Church Street.
Year built:
Other information: The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (also known as the BPOE, the Elks Lodge or simply the Elks) is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868. The Saranac Lake Lodge, number 1508, was formed in 1925, with John Morgan as Exalted Ruler.
Local members have included Tony Anderson, Daniel Brumfiel, Grant Cane, Francis B. Cantwell, Henry J. Conley, Alfred Currier, Willis Currier, Clifford L. Daniels, George Downing, Joe Drutz, Donald V. Dupree, William F. Duquette, Irving Edelberg, John English, Dorchester Everett, Ross Freeman, John R. Freer, John N. Hayes, Robert E. Herron, Francis Thomas Gardiner, Albert G. Homburger, Lee W. Knight, James Lamy, James H. LaPan, George LaPan, James A. Latour, Parnell Latour, Tuffield A. Latour, William F. Madden, Sr., John T. Merritt, Lionel Miller, John Morgan, Edward Mulflur, Wells Munn, Hayward Plumadore, Oliver Queior, Jr., Benton C. Ressler, Charles F. Roberson, Bradley Sageman, Al Shortt, Robert Stevens, Philip B. Sullivan, Frederick Tousley, Charles C. Trembley, Allen I. Vosburgh.
The Elks Lodge 1508 still exists at 30 Bloomingdale Avenue in Saranac Lake, the building next door to its former home, according to the 2011-2012 telephone book, phone 897-2125.
Adirondack Daily Enterprise, May 27, 1952
10 years ago today
The Saranac Lake Elks club initiated a class of 15 candidates, including Rev. Joseph Blais, Leon Brown, Thomas Finnigan, Kenneth Belmore, Ralph DeMasi, Harold Murphy, Imar Works, Alton B. Anderson, Delbert Oldfield, Arnio Cohen, Reuben Maletz, George L. Starks, Cornelius J. Carey, Munroe Gladd and R. C. Prime.
Lake Placid News, May 7, 1926
Mother's Day to Be Honored by Elks
Mother's Day will be honored by the Saranac Lake Lodge No. 1508 of B. P. O. Elks at the high school auditorium in Saranac Lake, on Sunday, May 9, at 3 o'clock.
The Elks extend a cordial invitation to the brothers residing in Lake Placid and to the general public to participate in this service, held in honor and memory of all mothers, living and dead.
A musical program will be rendered with a number of appropriate vocal solos by the following well-known baritone and tenors: Messrs. Delbert Oldfield, Thomas Conklin, Walter Duffy, Joseph Aselti
Philip Clancy of Niagara Falls Lodge B. P. O. E., past president and active member of the New York State Elks Association, will address the assembly. Mr. Clancy is one of the ablest and most finished speakers of the association. Saranac Lake Lodge will always have a high esteem and deep friendship for Mr. Clancy as it was through his friendship and efforts that the Saranac Lake Lodge of Elks is in existence today.
The committee of Elks in charge of Mother's Day service are: H. V. Littell, chairman, Charles Goldsmith, Dr. J. N. Goode, Homer Baker, Daniel Foster, Joseph O'Rourke, William Beattie and John Keough.
Lake Placid News, February 3, 1933
RED DEVILS BOB TEAM SPONSORED BY ELKS
The Red Devils bob sled team of Saranac Lake, Olympic racers and holders of several championships on the Mt. Van Hoevenberg run, has become the bob sledding team of Saranac Lake lodge 1508, B. P. O. Elks.
Lodge members decided to sponsor the team to aid the racers to meet expenses of practice and competition. Formerly sponsored by the Saranac Lake Sports association and equipped and backed by funds from the village advertising appropriations, the Red Devils this year were forced to rely on their own resources to pay expenses.
Members of the team are Henry Homburger, steersman; Edmund Horton, Percy Bryant and Paul Stevens.
The Red Devils won second place in the Olympic four-man event last winter; are winners of the 1931 National A. A. U. championships and the North American championships; and are holders of the world's time record of 1 minute, 52 seconds, for the VanHoevenberg course.
Lake Placid News, November 17, 1933
ANNUAL B.P.O.E. BALL AT SARANAC LAKE THURSDAY Proceeds to Be Used to Aid Needy During Thanksgiving and Christmas Holiday—Local Man on Committee
Promising to be the biggest and best affair of its kind put on in recent years, plans have been completed for the annual charity ball of Saranac Lake Lodge, 1508, B. P. O. Elks, which will be held in the town hall in that village next Thursday evening.
As one of the leading charitable events of the year, the annual Elks ball takes its place among the principal winter social events in Saranac Lake. All proceeds derived are expended during the holiday seasons at Thanksgiving and Christmas among the needy in Saranac Lake, Lake Placid and other communities in which the lodge functions.
Preparations have been made for a stellar entertainment to be staged during the evening. In 1932, the Elks were fortunate in obtaining Miss Kate Smith, radio star, who with her orchestra volunteered to help this worthy cause and the committee in charge has promised that an equally interesting program will be given this year. Music for the occasion will be furnished by "The Red Jackets," a well-known orchestra combination of college players from St. Lawrence university.
Members of the committee in charge of the event include John E. Keough, chairman; John P. Crowley of Lake Placid; Matthew M. Munn, Kenneth M. Wilson, Harry H. Danforth, Norman W. Ferdon, Leo Loewenthal, George Latour, Samuel Green, Cleve Kirkpatrick, Hyman Werner and George J. Carson.
Ogdensburg Journal, March 16, 1945
Saranac Elks To Observe 20th Anniverary
The following article on the Saranac Lake Lodge appeared in a recent issue of the Guild News, published in Saranac Lake. The. Guild is a part time continuation school of arts and crafts administered by the Franklin County Education and Extension Board and receives' funds for teaching salaries from New York State and Federal sources. The article will be of interest to many local Elks who are well acquainted with the Saranae Lake Lodge and its members—Editor's Note.
This spring the Saranac Lake Elks will celebrate their twentieth anniversary, for it was on May 22nd, 1925, that a group of one hundred men, the majority of whom, up to then, had been members of the Malone and Plattsburg lodges, received their charter, and B. P. O. E. No. 1508, Saranac Lake, N. Y., came into being.
Much has happened in those twenty years. The charter members who are still alive have seen the membership grow to five hundred, a stop limit set by the original charter (and reached some time ago; there is now a waiting list). They have seen their clubhouse and meeting place pass from rooms over a garage in the Bryant Block on upper Broadway to their own beautiful and spacious home at 21 Bloomingdale Avenue, stopping en route for a while at the State Armory on River Street (which was then a boys' club) and the Parochial School". Then, from 1928 to 1930, what is now Guild House at 100 Main Street, was used as a club room while the meetings were held across the street in the Odd Fellows Hall. In 1931 the new clubhouse was opened, and with the exception of about five months in 1937 when fire on the premises caused them to hold their meetings in a house on Woodruff Street while repairs were being made, it has been their home ever since.
The first officers of the lodge were: John Morgan, Exalted Ruler; Sam Matthews, Esteemed Leading Knight, Charles Goldsmith, Esteemed Loyal Knight; Charles A. Neubauer, Esteemed Lecturing Knight; William J. Buckley was the Secretary, and Dr. Frank E. Kendall was the Treasurer. The Esquire was H. V. Littell; the Chaplain, W. C. Leonard; the Inner Guard, Edward C. Streibig; and the Tiler, William P. Ryan.
The Trustees were John R. Freer, William H. Gibney, Sidney W. Barnard, Frank W. Swift, and Ray L. Burmaster.
The objects of the Elks have been Fellowship and Charity, with the accent on the latter. Even before the present lodge was incorporated, the Elks in Saranac Lake had sponsored the Herald-Tribune Fresh Air Fund, and other charities. As a "benevolent" organization the Elks number among their interests the Christmas Clothing Fund and the furnishing of eye care for underprivileged children; support of th'e dental clinic and the hot lunch services in. the schools; War Bond rallies; paper and clothing salvage dinners; and financial contributions to the Red Cross, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the Guild, and a host of other local civic enterprises. Within the past year two much-needed refrigerators were purchased for the General Hospital.
Yearly events that are typical of their good fellowship are the Charity Ball in November, the Clam Bake in August, which yearly attracts thousands from all over northern New York, the Anniversary dance on May 22nd, and the Past Exalted Rulers and Old Timers' Nights, both in February. Then there are the birthday parties, held the last meeting of each month, for all members born during that month. In addition, there are numerous impromptu parties and gatherings celebrating Hallowe'en, St. Valentine's Day, New Year's Eve, etc., and its dining room, open to members with their friends is nightly the scene of family gatherings.
Members of No. 1508 are unanimous in agreeing that their success has been due in. a large part to the integrity and unselfishness of the men who have served as their Exalted Rulers. They have given unstintingly of their efforts, often sacrificing much pf their own personal time to help their brothers, and the lodge. Those holding the post of Exalted Ruler in the past, have been:
John C. Morgan, Samuel D. Matthews, Charles H. Goldsmith, Charles A. Neubauer, George C. Sageman, William B. Davidson, Matthew M. Munn, Floyd EL Endicott, John V. Dolan, John E. Keough, Kenneth M. Wilson, Hyrnan Werner, Joseph H. Foley, Herman M. Rice, Frank W. Fitzgerald, A. B. Delahant, Solomon Drutz, S. Rodney Hinwood, Harry R. Corbin, and Richard R. DeSantis. The present officers are: John Scott Lynch, Exalted Ruler; A. F. Shortt, Esteemed Leading Knight; Ralph Baker, Esteemed Loyal Knight; James H. LaPan, Esteemed Lecturing Knight; Millard Marshall, Secretary; George LaPan, Treasurer; J. David White, the Esquire; Arthur LaBlanc, Inner Guard; Frank Slahetka, Tiler; and Matt M. Munn, Chaplain. Trustees are Dr. John C. Russell, Alfred W. Currier, Homer W. Lockwood, George Carson and Anthony B. Delahant.
Leslie Hoffman Collection
Leslie Hoffman Collection
