The End of a Landmark (1881-1989)

On the northeast corner of the intersection of Main and Indiana Streets in downtown Mooresville, Indiana, which was the site of Samuel Moore's general store (1824-1869), was built the first Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) building (1869-1881).  Destroyed by fire in 1881, it was rapidly replaced by the second I.O.O.F. Building, which housed a variety of businesses and organizations over nearly a century, including the I.O.O.F. Morgan Lodge #211 (1869-1960s), Pleas Mills Dry Goods (1890s-1930s), Kroger Grocery (1940s), and Tompkins Jewelry (1950s).  The building's upper storeys were demolished in 1964, then Citizens Bank built its current structure and parking lots (in 1965-1966), but a portion of the first floor was salvaged and continued to host businesses until 1989, when the last of the second I.O.O.F. Building fell to demolition.

Thanks to Jack Broyer, we have photographs of I.O.O.F. Building #2's last day.  (All photos are dated April, 1989).

Warren Insurance was the final occupant of the remnant of the second I.O.O.F. Building.  The remaining structure was demolished in April, 1989.

A front end loader/backhoe brings down the last vestiges of I.O.O.F. Building #2.  Notice the businesses (in April 1989) across North Indiana Street in downtown Mooresville

Citizens Bank was (and still is) located immediately north of the demolished structure (on North Indiana Street in downtown Mooresville)

Note the dedication stone commemorating Samuel Moore's general store, which was the first wood-frame business in Mooresville and was situated at this location (1824-1859).  The stone remains at the site, which today is Hadley mini-park.

A surprisingly tall pile of rubble left by the demolished one-story remnant of the second I.O.O.F. Building



Looking south toward East Main Street in downtown Mooresville.  The building visible across the street was constructed in the 1890s by George W. Bass and was home to Citizens Bank from 1931 to 1966.

The MPL Indiana Room has some digitized materials (click the article below to enlarge) that summarize some of the history of the site.

To learn more about the history of Mooresville's I.O.O.F. chapter (Morgan Lodge #211, organized July 7, 1859), read pages 92-93 of  A Brief History of Mooresville, Indiana, 1824-1974, by Clara Sellars Richardson.