Location: 805 4th Ave E
Wohleb, Popular Culture, Diversity: Gay and Lesbian History
Eagles Building 1965, Thurston County Assessor Photo, Washington State Archives |
Eagles Building today (2012), photo by Deb Ross
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Aerie #21 of the Fraternal Order of Eagles was founded in 1899, in the heyday of fraternal organizations in Olympia. This building was designed and built in 1927 by Olympia architect Joseph Wohleb and has been the home of the Eagles ever since. For the most part, the building is of a fairly utilitarian design, but has decorative features over the doorway.
Currently (2012) the club rents out the elegant second floor ballroom for dances and other events. Up until at least the mid-1940s, there was a residence adjacent to the club, where the parking lot is currently located.
In 1991, Stonewall Youth, a support group for young gays and lesbians, was founded in the basement of the building, operating at that time as Darby’s Cafe.
For more information follow these links:
Washington State Historical Society photographs. Enter the catalog number in the Collections Search Box C1964.26.4.6.8
Olympia Gay and Lesbian history
Copyright © 2022 Deborah Ross