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Updated December 27, 2011.

MEETING LODGES

December 27, 2011.RED MEN HALL

WOODSMAN/JUNIOR/ODD FELLOWS LODGE

From the John Barnes Collection and referred to as the Woodsman Hall

Comment - Sue Austin: On the front of the building is J. O. U. A. M. which stands for Junior Order of United American Machanics. "Machanics" was actually spelled in that manner in my information. This group participated in the 7 May 1926 Knotts Island School grand opening, A gentlemen by the name of "Mr. Corbitt of J.O.U.A.M. presided" in that portion of the program.

Comment - J.O.U.A.M. History.

Comment - Jane Brumley: It was on property owned by my family, grandparents Levy and Pat Bowden Miller. The lodge was up on the second floor and as you opened the door the stairs went on up while the bottom floor was unfinished. Yes, nosy Jane & her best childhood friend, Carolyn Beasley (now Meiggs), went in that building too. Nothing on KI was locked up 60 years ago including folks houses.
Some years after my father, James Nonie Miller, passed away my mother decided to sell the house. So, the deed was researched over at Currituck Courthouse by Ray Etheridge, attorney, and the land returned to us because it was no longer a lodge. At that point the building had been torn down.

Comment - Anne Bright: My daddy was a member but he was very hush-hush about the whole thing- sort of like the Masonic rites are off limits to non-members- and I never remember going in the building. I always wondered after I got older if this building served double duty as the Klan meeting site. I do remember a cross being burned in the yard of a black tenant farmer when I was about 4 years old, so I know the Klan existed. My dad took me to see the cross in his '47 Chevy pickup (and I would not be surprised if he was present at the burning of the cross). Times were very different then.

Comment - Belinda Buck: My mother told me today that when she was a little girl the residents of the Methodist church before they built on the extra room at the church used the Hall for potluck dinners, supper clubs, oyster roast, various dinners that were held at the Hall. She said that there was a kitchen area on the back of the building that the residents used. She said her and the kids were never allowed to go upstairs, and that they played with the Victrola that played music. She said they had 2 types of Victrolas, one had a barrel type music cylinder that you inserted to play music and the other one later had records you placed on the top and would wind it to play. The location of Junior Hall was south of the cemetery near the road. Mom remembers cars use to parked along the side of the road. She remembers when Mr. Miller died they had torn down his house.