Dunnellon Moose Lodge 2308 - A Moose home rich in history

Thirty-five years ago gas was at $0.89 per gallon, US Postage Stamps were $0.24, a dozen eggs
cost $.65, and a pound of bacon was just $1.80. United States President Ronald Reagan deliv-
ered his famous speech where he urged Mikhail Gorbachev, leader of the Soviet Union, to “tear
down this wall.” Aretha Franklin was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The U.S. Stock Market crashed with a 508 point drop or 22.6 percent.

It was also when Dunnellon Moose Lodge 2308 first opened.

It all started with a chance encounter with Whitey Burdick, of Ocala Lodge.

As Lowell Smallridge remembers, “There was a man who came into Dunnellon one day at Alan’s
Auto Auto Parts. I was there with Allen (Fort) and he got to talking to us about the Moose,”
Smallridge said. “Long story short, he explained the Moose Lodge and wanted to know if we would be interested in starting a Moose Lodge.”

Within two weeks, over 50 men had signed up to become Charter Members of what would
be known as Dunnellon Moose Lodge No. 2308. Both Smallridge and Fort were on that list.

The first task at hand was to locate a place that the members could meet.

Smallridge set up a temporary meeting space after hours where he worked at Rainbow Springs
Golf Course.

Lydia Mills still remembers a time when her husband Wayne would go to meetings at the
American Legion.

But the group needed a permanent place for the Lodge home, and it was not hard to find.

“Vera (Smallridge) and I actually owned the building the Moose Lodge is in now,” Lowell
Smallridge said.

The building had been under contract and was scheduled to become a barbecue restaurant but
the deal fell through, so Smallridge rented the space to the Moose to hold their meetings.

Once 41 Tavern and several small restaurants since it was first built in 1972, the building
was small and after a few years it was determined that more space was needed.

“It was so small that sometimes to walk from one end of the room to the other you had to walk
behind the bar to get there,” Lydia Mills said.

Smallridge served as the Building Committee chairman and acquired the necessary materials
while Wayne Mills and Jim Wilson made sure the work was completed.

“It could not have been done without them,” Smallridge said.

Eventually the Lodge purchased the building and made the Moose home permanent.

The original Charter for Dunnellon Moose Lodge 2308 can be found hanging on the wall in the Lodge’s Meeting Room. Photos below.

Documents show original Dunnellon Moose Lodge incepted in 1927

In 1927, 51 men from Dunnellon, Romeo, Inverness, Lebenon, High Springs, Morriston, and
Holder came together to form the first-ever Dunnellon Moose Lodge.

They were men from all walks of life including contractors, timber workers, dentists, attorneys,
farmers, locomotive engineers, merchants, linemen, cobblers, postal clerks, barbers, professors, realtors, store clerks, plumbers, conductors, and other trades and services related to the local area.

In listings contained within the Lodge History by Number, a report posted on the Ohio Moose
Association website ohiomoose.com, there are two individual listings for Dunnellon Moose Lodge.

The current Lodge home, Dunnellon Moose Lodge No. 2308, shows an institute date as April
12, 1987. The second listing, Dunnellon Moose Lodge No. 1690, shows March 25, 1927.

There has been no other information found on the original Dunnellon Moose Lodge other than
the Lodge History by Number Report that shows the Lodge closed on August 26, 1928, and those
provided by Moose International.

Thirty-eight years prior to 1927, Dunnellon was a booming phosphate area after hard rock phos-
phate had been found by Albertus Vogt off County Road 40 in Marion County. The discovery put Dunnellon in the center of the industry with Tiger Rag, Early Bird, and Eagle mines producing high volumes.

Land values rose with the onslaught of prospectors who looked to cash in on the land’s secret treasure.

The boom was short-lived, however, and by 1900 production shifted to other areas of the state and the prosperity of phosphate mining came to an abrupt end in the region.

To add to the down-slide of the area, World War I began in 1914, followed by the 1918 influenza outbreak, massive orange crop losses due to severe hard freezes, and a building boom that fell short of keeping up with the needs of developers which ultimately forced land values to drastically drop.

During this same time the 1926 Miami Hurricane, a Category 4 storm, caused $76 million in damage in south Florida, and heavy damage in the panhandle area of Florida.

Two years later, the 1928 Fort Pierce Hurricane caused $5 million on the east coast.

The second hurricane, the 1928 Okeechobee Hurricane, made landfall southeastern coast as a Category 4 storm and caused over $25 million in damage and over 2,500 deaths.

It is the third deadliest hurricane in American history.

According to the Florida Department of State story on Florida Facts, “Florida’s economic bubble burst in 1926, when money and credit ran out, and banks and investors abruptly stopped trusting the ‘paper’ millionaires.”

The state’s economy plumaged into a depression due to the economic downturn and costs
associated with the most recent hurricanes.

And then the stock market crashed.

According to the report, hundreds of Moose Lodges closed between 1929 and 1941 for unknown reasons or merged with other Lodge homes located in their respective areas.

Dunnellon Moose Lodge No. 1690 is listed as closed August 28, 1928. No reason was
provided.

It was open for a little more than 1.5 years .

Report of Institution document shows the institution of Dunnellon Moose Lodge No. 1690 on March 25, 1927. The exact location of the Lodge home is unknown. After just 1.5 years the Lodge closed its’ doors on August 28, 1928.

Dunnellon Moose Lodge No. 1690 comes to life. Pictured include documents provided by Moose International.Fifty-one names are listed on the original Application For Dispensation For Lodge Charter. Only 50 names were required and it was found that one name was actually a woman and ineligible to sign the Charter. The Organization Committee’s Pledge for a Lodge to be Instituted in Dunnellon, Florida. Letter to Supreme Secretary regarding a dispensation to be issued for Dunnellon Moose Lodge No. 1690. James J. Davis, the founder of Mooseheart, signed his name in the remarks section. He went on to serve the United States as Secretary of Labor under three presidents, and was a U.S. Senator for 15 years. The Report of the Institution of Dunnellon Lodge No. 1690 shows the List of Officers. The
Lodge closed August 28, 1928 for unknown reasons.

JOINT INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS

Sunday, April 23, 2023

Women of the Moose Chapter and Dunnellon Moose Lodge 2308 held their Joint Installation

Sunday, April 23, 2023.

For the Chapter, it meant a time to refocus efforts of both the Board of Officers and Chairmen,

and create new activities and events that benefit both the Chapter and the Lodge. Laurie Nelson is the new Senior Regent. She comes with years of WOTM experience as a Past Deputy Grand Regent and current trainer. The Board of Officers now consists of Junior Past Regent Selina Moore, Secretary Linda Cole, and Treasurer Karen Garland. Chairmen include Vicky Cacciatore (Membership), Diane Lally (Mooseheart / Moosehaven), Marcia Stone (Fraternal Activities), and Kimberly Kelly (Higher Degree). Sylvia Common will serve as Guide.

For the Lodge, it was the start of something new, while remembering the obstacles that surrounded the 2022-2023 Moose year and the slippery battle that led to the Septic-to-Sewer project that is currently underway. Willie Williams will continue to lead the Lodge for a second term. Linda Cole will serve as Vice President, Jim Mielnik Treasurer, Artie Klepp, Chaplain, and Joy Nekola, Administrator. Also serving withing the Lodge are 3-year Trustee Charlie Zittle, Sargent of Arms Steve Watson, Membership Laurie Nelson, Moose Charities, Kimberly Kelly, Heart of the Community Alma Whitman, Application Review Cookie Long and Karen Williams, and Melanie Newhouse Audit.

ABOVE

Incoming and outgoing Board of Officers and Chairman take a moment to celebrate at the Joint Installation of Officers at Dunnellon Moose Lodge 2308.

WILLIAMS INSTALLED AS PRESIDENT, AGAIN

Willie Williams will serve as President of Dunnellon Moose Lodge 2308 along side Charlie Zittle (3-year Trustee), Linda Cole (Vice President), Steve Watson (Sargent of Arm), Jim Mielnik (Treasurer), Artie Klepp (Chaplain), and Joy Nekola (Administrator).

DUNNELLON WOTM CHAPTER 1662

WILLIAMS INSTALLED AS PRESIDENT, AGAIN

Kimberly Kelly (Higher Degree), Diane Lally (Mooseheart / Moosehaven). Selina Moore (Junior Past Regent), Linda Cole (Secretary), Sylvia Common (Guide), Marsha Stone (Fraternal Activities), Laurie Nelson (Senior Regent), Karen Garland (Treasurer), and Nancy Cacciatore (Membership) were installed during the Dunnellon WOTM Chapter 1662 Installation.

Dunnellon Moose Lodge 2308 - A Moose home rich in history

dunnellon moose lodge 2308 - INSTITUTed april 12, 1987

CHARTER MEMBERS

ADDITIONAL MEMBERS

ADDITIONAL MEMBERS

ADDITIONAL MEMBERS

ADDITIONAL MEMBERS

ADDITIONAL MEMBERS

Current Lodge not actually the first to call Dunnellon home

Documents show original Dunnellon Moose Lodge incepted in 1927

HISTORY OF LODGE GOVERNORS AND PRESIDENTS

LODGE MEMBERSHIP THROUGH THE YEARS