On The Square Online

A Fire in The Lodge

Reported by Andrea Hahn in The Southern: Fire damages Carbondale landmark

A small fire in the historic Tuscan Lodge in downtown Carbondale caused interior damage to the once-glamorous building at 201 N. Washington.

The fire was reported at about 1 a.m. Tuesday, and firefighters were on the scene for about one hour.

"The fire burned a hole through the floor just off the main entrance on Washington Street," Anderson said, noting there was not much structural damage.

Speculation has the blaze being started by a homeless person, since there was easy access into the building.

In her story, Hahn gives more details about the building:

The Tuscan Lodge building was recognized in 2005 by the Landmarks Preservation Council of Illinois as one of the "Eleven Most Endangered Historic Places in Illinois."

The list is intended to bring attention to sites threatened by deterioration, lack of maintenance, insufficient funding, or inappropriate development. The list has been expanded to 11 sites several times over the years since it was first begun in 1995.

The building dates to 1894, when it was an Odd Fellows Hall. The Tuscan Lodge bought it in 1903 for use as Lodge 44. The Tuscan Lodge is an African-American Masonic order.

The banquet facilities hosted such musical legends as Cab Calloway, Miles Davis and Duke Ellington. In an earlier interview, Grand Worshipful Master of the Lodge, LaRue Love, said the building was a popular place for performers laying over in Carbondale.

The building was in use as a lodge until about 1997. The lodge met on the top floor and rented out the lower level. Two locally well-known restaurants, Jeremiah's and Cousins, both called the building home at one time.

An benefit concert should be held by the local hip-hop community, which may in turn get some publicity and attract the aid of someone with more bling than he knows what do with: "The 50 Cent Center" has a nice ring.

posted by Parentheticus @ 5:41 AM