Forever Curious

 This building is in downtown Astoria, Illinois. 

Doesn’t look like much does it? Like much of small town rural America it is in a state of active decay. It wasn’t the building that got me curious as it was this stone. 

What was the K-P Hall #482? I tried using Google and got nothing useful. I asked folks around town and was told back in the 1950’s or 60’s it was a jewelry store. That didn’t explain the hall notation on the stone. Someone posted on a local history Facebook page about activities at the K of P Hall in Astoria. So a check of K of P resulted in answers. This building was a meeting hall for a fraternal order Knights of Pythias. The organization was founded in Washington, D.C. on February 19, 1864 by Justus H. Rathbone. It is based on a play by Irish poet John Banim about the legend of Damon and Pythias. Members must take the following oath:

I declare upon honor that I believe in a Supreme Being, that I am not a professional gambler, or unlawfully engaged in the wholesale or retail sale of intoxicating liquors or narcotics, and that I believe in the maintenance of the order and the upholding of constituted authority in the government in which I live. Moreover, I declare upon honor that I am not a Communist or Fascist; that I do not advocate nor am I a member of any organization that advocates the overthrow of the Government of the Country of which I am a Citizen, by force or violence or other unlawful means; and that I do not seek by force or violence to deny to other persons their rights under the laws of such country.

The organization still exists and has a few remaining lodges in Illinois. If you’re curious check out the legend of Damon and Pythias, the story of Justus Rathbone and the website of the Knights of Pythias.