The Echoing Halls of Copper and Virtue:

The History and Mystery of Elks Lodge 239

In the heart of the Deer Lodge Valley, where the shadow of the world’s tallest free-standing brick stack still stretches across the horizon, lies a silent witness to a century of Montana’s aspirations. 217 Main Street in Anaconda, Montana, stands not merely as a structure of brick and mortar, but as a vessel for the collective memory of a town forged in the fires of the Industrial Revolution. This building, once the proud home of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE) Lodge 239, serves as a poignant reminder of an era when fraternal brotherhood was the glue that bound a rough-and-tumble smelting community together.

The Architect’s Dream and the Smelter’s Shadow

To understand the significance of the Elks Building, one must first understand the soil from which it grew. Anaconda was never a town of slow evolution; it was an overnight empire, envisioned by the "Copper King" Marcus Daly in 1883 as the site for his massive reduction works. By the early 20th century, the city had transitioned from a frontier camp to a sophisticated urban center. In 1914, the Elks Lodge 239—already a powerhouse of local influence—commissioned the construction of their permanent home at 217 Main Street.

The structure was a testament to the "City of Whispers." Designed in a transitional style that melded Victorian sensibilities with the emerging utilitarianism of the early 20th century, the three-story brick edifice projected an image of stability and moral rectitude. While the exterior presented a face of stoic red brick, the interior was a labyrinth of grand ballrooms, secret ritual chambers, and mahogany-lined lounges. It was a place where the grime of the smelter was washed away, replaced by the scent of expensive cigars and the "Golden Hour of Recollection."

The Mystery of the "Sixth Floor" Influence

While the Elks Building itself was a center of charity and social prestige, it existed within a peculiar architectural and political ecosystem. Historians often point to the "mystery" of how such grand fraternal lodges operated as shadow governments. In Anaconda and nearby Butte, the Anaconda Copper Mining Company (ACM) dominated every facet of life. The Elks Lodge was no exception.

The mystery lies in the blurred lines between fraternal ritual and corporate mandate. It is whispered in the archives of Montana history that the most significant decisions regarding labor strikes and political appointments were not made in the City Hall or the Smelter’s main office, but behind the heavy doors of the Elks’ lodge room. The "Eleven O'Clock Toast," a sacred Elks tradition to remember absent members, often coincided with the late-night strategy sessions of the town’s elite. The building’s thick walls were designed to keep secrets in as much as they were to keep the Montana winter out.

A Transition of Spirits

By the mid-1960s, the landscape of American social life began to shift. The intense loyalty to fraternal orders waned as television and suburbanization took hold. In 1964, the Elks moved their headquarters, and the building at 223 Main Street was transferred to the Knights of Columbus. This transition marked a change in the building's spiritual stewardship but maintained its identity as a bastion of community and faith.

However, the departure of the Elks left behind a vacuum of "nostalgic residue." Local lore suggests that the building remains inhabited by the echoes of its former occupants. Residents have long spoken of the faint sound of chimes at 11:00 PM—the "mystic roll call"—even when the building sat vacant. The mystery of 217 Main Street is not one of malevolent hauntings, but of an enduring atmospheric memory—a sympathetic resonance of a time when every man in town sought the shelter of the "Antlers."

Preservation and the Weight of History

Today, 217 Main Street is recognized as a contributing property within the Butte-Anaconda Historic District, a National Historic Landmark. Its preservation is not merely a matter of architectural vanity but a necessity for the soul of the community. As a historian looks upon the weathered facade, one sees the fingerprints of the immigrants—the Irish, the Slavs, the Scandinavians—who found their first American "family" within these walls.

The building stands as a bridge between the industrial grit of Marcus Daly’s dream and the modern effort to redefine Anaconda as a center of heritage tourism. It is a monument to the Benevolent and Protective Order, reminding us that even in the harshest industrial climates, the human spirit seeks out "Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love, and Fidelity."

Sources Cited

"Anaconda Commercial Historic District." National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service, 1998, https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/a2e69ebe-4838-4d6f-add4-94f42487a043. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.

"Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benevolent_and_Protective_Order_of_Elks. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.

"Butte-Anaconda Historic District, Montana." National Park Service, 2020, https://www.nps.gov/places/butte-anaconda-historic-district.htm. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.

"Elks Building (Anaconda, Montana)." Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia, 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elks_Building_(Anaconda,_Montana. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.

Hawley, Monica E. "Elks Building." Historic American Buildings Survey, National Park Service, 1984, https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/mt0103/. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.

"Montana Historical Society Research Center Archives." Archives West, 2024, https://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv62259. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.