Grass Valley Elks Lodge Marks 125th Anniversary

GRASS VALLEY — On October 12, Elks Lodge #538 will be dedicating a historical plaque at its building in Grass Valley, which was recently designated a landmark by the Nevada County Board of Supervisors. The ceremony coincides with the lodge’s 125th anniversary. Although the Grass Valley organization predates the building by about 12 years, the lodge spent the intervening period fundraising for the two-story red brick Neo-Gothic/English Tudor style building. In 2018, the City of Grass Valley recognized the building as historically significant in a proclamation.

Opened in 1912, the lodge building features a spring-hung hard maple dance floor and a four-lane bowling alley. The structure cost $50,000 to construct, equivalent to approximately $1.7 million in today’s dollars when adjusted for inflation. Since then, the building has hosted numerous events, including weddings and dances.

The dedication ceremony will take place at 10 AM on Sunday, October 12, at 109 South School Street in Grass Valley. Refreshments and a tour of the interior will follow the dedication.