Elks Lodge Begins Monthly Speaker Series with Bay City History Talk

Dave Rogers, MyBayCity.com Writer, Tells Inside Secrets of Bye Gone Days

January 14, 2011
By: O. J. Cunningham

Elks once roamed the Saginaw Valley and northeastern Michigan along with mastodon, mammoths, sabre-toothed tigers, panthers, caribou, bears, wolves and other large animals.

The history of the valley dating to prehistoric times was the subject of the first presentation in a speaker's series to be sponsored by the Bay City Elks Lodge No. 88.

Elks still roam here, especially at their lodge and club rooms at the Dore Riverview Complex (B.A.R.T.'s), 804 E. Midland Street.

In a membership drive, the Elks have reached out to invite the community to enjoy hors d' ouevres, drinks and conviviality on a Thursday every month. Dennis Poirier, Elks inner guard and membership chairman, told about the benefits of Elks membership and some of activities of the "benevolent and protective" Order of Elks.

These activities include support for veterans organizations, youth sports and special needs children. Also, the Elks are well known for annual Flag Day ceremonies.

Noted master of ceremonies Rod Adams entertained the crowd, as did magician Tommy Anderson. Speaker Dave Rogers related stories of local history.

Speaker's nights are open to the public and everyone is welcome to come, said Howard Diehl, Elks officer and former state Elks chairman. Jim Hollerbach, past exalted ruler, is program chairman of the speaker's night series that will host Cliff Van Dyke in February and Dick Janke in March. Call Mr. Hollerbach at 450-4818 for more information.

Mr. Davidson was the second exalted ruler of the lodge, following Thomas A.E. Weadock, Bay City mayor and congressman, and their leadership personified the group, made up of the leading citizens of the prosperous lumbering and industrial town.

In 1925, the Bay City Elks inducted about 500 new members in ceremonies at Wenona Beach, according to Mr. Hollerbach.

The Elks were founded in 1868 in New York City by a group of theatrical people who initially called themselves "the Jolly Corks." The Bay City Elks Lodge was founded in 1878 and is one of the oldest in the nation. The Elks have about a million members and are one of the leading fraternal organizations in the nation.

For many years the Bay City Elks Lodge and clubrooms was located on the second floor of a building at 406 Center Avenue, with a gymnasium fronting on Adams Street. The Elks gymnasium in 1957 became the first headquarters of the Boys Club of Bay City, now the Boys and Girls Club of Bay County.

From downtown the lodge moved to its own building in Hampton Township where it was a popular place for meetings, weddings and other events for many years. A swimming pool was home to the Elks Swim Team that competed statewide. About ten years ago the Elks moved to the fourth floor of the LaPorte Building at Washington and Fifth avenues. The move to the Dore complex occurred about a year ago.



James E. Davidson, longtime member of Bay City Elks Lodge No. 88, would invariably have lunch each day at the Elks Club. Mr. Davidson, one of Michigan's wealthiest businessmen, would shake dice with his cronies and, if he won a free lunch, he was estatic; if he lost, would tell everyone it ruined his day. Those details were revealed by his friends comments in the Bay City Times in extensive memorial tributes after his death in July 1947.



Mr. Davidson was the first exalted ruler of the lodge and his leadership personified the group, made up of the leading citizens of the prosperous lumbering and industrial town.

More information on membership in the Bay City Elks or speaker's nights may be obtained by calling the secretary, 892-2281.