4300 West Vernor Highway
Odd Fellows Hall, Independent Order of Odd Fellows Riverside Lodge No. 303, Esther Rebekah Degree Lodge No. 225, Lange Bros Grocery Store, Southwestern Political Club, St. Paul’s Council of the Knights of Columbus, Green’s Cut Rate, Mexicantown Bakery
In January 1845, Mr. Harvie incorporated the first Odd Fellows Hall in the city of Detroit. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) dates back to 1819 in Baltimore; however, the Order of Oddfellows originated in the 1700s in England. According to the IOOF website, there are some 10,000 lodges across the globe. Over the years, the Odd Fellows had multiple structures in Detroit; this is one of them.
In April 1894, the Riverside Lodge No. 303 of the International Order of Odd Fellows hired W. W. Wilkinson to construct a two-story brick hall with two commercial spaces on Dix at the present-day intersection of Clarkdale. At the time, the address was 420—422 Dix Avenue.
On August 3, 1894, the Riverside Lodge No. 303 was dedicated. According to the Detroit Free Press, Lansing’s Grand Master George L. Davis was master of ceremonies “in the presence of a very large number of Oddfellows and their friends.”
Until 2001, only men could join most Odd Fellows Lodges. However, women were allowed to join the Rebekahs (also called the International Association of Rebekah Assemblies) starting in 1850. Although primarily for show, the IOOF officially organized the Degree Lodges of the Daughters of Rebekah, which was renamed the Degree of Rebekah in the 1870s. Detroit had such a group, and they met at the Odd Fellows Hall. The Rebekahs were an essential part of the Odd Fellow culture, from rituals and meetings to valentines socials and dinner events. Detroit’s lodge was called Esther Rebekah Degree Lodge No. 225 in 1895.
In 1897, Lange Bros Grocery Store was on the main floor. It was there until at least 1905.
Although not an ethnic group, the Odd Fellows Hall was used by the neighborhood that surrounded it. Student events, community meetings, and union ongoings were held here. By 1898, it had become a common place for the locomotive firemen union to meet, and the Ladies’ Society Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen hosted events, too.
In 1912, the current owner of the structure, S. H. Tonak, sold it to a man from Ann Arbor, W. F. Morrison. In addition to the structure pictured here, he also sold him a two-family flat around the corner.
This structure has changed addresses a ton—as any structure on Vernor Highway built before 1921 has. That year, the city-wide renumbering process occurred, and most addresses in Detroit were changed to make more sense. However, when built, this structure was on Dix, not Vernor. In 1925, it was renamed in honor of James Vernor, the Detroit City Councilman, and ginger ale connoisseur, which I covered in the post about the Lithuanian Hall down the street. From 420 Dix to 4300 Dix and, eventually, 4300 West Vernor, remembering an address in the early 20s must have been tricky.
In 1929, Theodore Trombley, 84, a resident of the apartments above the structure, died after being hit by a car outside the building.
By the late 1930s, new clubs had started utilizing the structure in addition to the old players. The Southwestern Political Club frequently hosted events here, and Mayor Edward Jeffries attended events with the club.
St. Paul’s Council of the Knights of Columbus had their clubrooms here, too. Rituals, candidates for degrees, and events were held under their watch, and Catholic Knights from across the Midwest visited.
By the 1950s, the structure wasn’t in the newspaper as much anymore. Approaching its diamond birthday, it’s easy to imagine that the structure showed signs of aging. An ad in the Detroit Free Press from 1953 for pens showed that Green’s Cut Rate occupied a space on the main floor. After that, I’m not sure what happened there.
From 1970 to 1990, Detroit’s Hispanic/Latino population was stable, with just under 30,000 people. From 1990 to 2000, it exploded from 28,000 to over 47,000, which is even more impressive when you consider that Detroit lost over 75,000 people in that same span. Whereas the Hispanic/Latino designation on the census can be hard to decipher, Detroit’s Mexican population grew, primarily in Southwest Detroit. As Detroiters of European descent left the city, newcomers, many from the southwestern United States, moved here.
In 1996, the Mexicantown Bakery opened in the structure pictured here. It was one of the first of its kind, and it was owned and operated by Lena and Omar Hernandez. According to a newspaper article from 2000, the family had spent $250,000 renovating the building. More businesses started opening on Vernor Highway, and the Mexicantown Bakery was becoming a mainstay of the neighborhood.
In 1999, Lena and Omar were honored at a Community Investment Recognition Breakfast sponsored by the Mexicantown Community Development Corporation and the Southwest Detroit Business Association. The award honored people and businesses committed to Southwest Detroit—and the Hernadez family was.
Their daughter, Jessica, attended Western International High School across from the structure and studied marketing at Columbia College in Chicago. Her band, Jessica Hernandez & the Deltas, has released two studio albums and played numerous concerts in Detroit, including back-to-back shows at El Club in 2016. Their 2017 album was recorded and released in two versions, one in English, Telephone, and one in Spanish, Teléfono.
Today, the Mexicantown Bankery and Odd Fellows Hall are owned by the Hernandez family. It’s one of my favorite places to snag a tasty treat and remains extraordinarily affordable. I’m not certain what the upper floors are currently utilized for, but the bakery takes up both sides of the lower floor. One half is the storefront, and the other half is the baking area.
Next time you’re looking for something to do, grab a baked good and take a walk in Clark Park. You won’t regret it!
