Odd Fellows Widows and Orphans Home in Checotah

Odd Fellows Widows and Orphans Home in Checotah 1902-2004

In 1902 a gentleman by the name of William E. Gentry and his wife Sallie offered Sallie’s 160-acre Indian allotment farm along with $5,000 to the IOOF for the purpose of establishing the Odd Fellows Home Checotah.

A three-story brick structure was dedicated on April 14, 1903, and was furnished by the local Rebekahs. The surrounding farm and the home comprised a self-sufficient setting where young people owned and cared for individual stock. This was before the time of orphans attending public schools so instead they were taught on the grounds by staff. Superintendents Dr. and Mrs. W.T. Gardener oversaw the grounds and children.

The children and widows quickly outgrew the facility with 32 kids and two widows. It remained crowded for pretty much the entire three years after its inception. Another common issue that arose was the lack of privacy between the adult widows and the young children.

So in 1906, the Grand Lodge appropriated $20,000 for the purpose of building a new addition. Another third-story addition costing $8,000 was made in 1912. A Muskogee architect firm prepared and submitted the plans for the addition. A few years later in 1920, $25,000 was allocated by the State Grand Lodge for hospitals to be erected at the Homes in Checotah and Carmen, each receiving $12,500.

Additional rooms were added in 1922 and an infirmary was added in 1962. In its first seventy years of operation, the home served a total of 325 adults and 448 orphans. Every year there was an open house, where the home was opened to the public and a photo was taken. This is a photo from an open house in the 1920s.

The Home had its own herd of cattle and farming operation that went on for over half a century. These cattle were well cared for, state-tested and taken care of by the people there. In fact the herd was well known for being amongst the highest producers for Muskogee County throughout the 1930s and on into the 1940s. This is just one example of the Home and its people contributing to society.

More restorations were done in the fifties and throughout its history including the addition of storm windows in 1971. But arguably, one of the biggest construction projects was the 1962 $75,000 expansion. A fundraiser called “Buck a Brick” was started to raise funds for the project. Under Superintendent Noble Wright the new 5,600 sq ft wing would provide 26 new rooms, a kitchen, lounge, utility room, and reception rooms. Why the addition was needed seems unsure given that at the time there were only 21 adults and 18 children on the campus.

Nonetheless, the campus was more like a family caring for young and old. Each year there was a homecoming held where former orphans came back to the campus to celebrate with a picnic and reminisce on old times.

When new Superintendent William D. Wiebers and his wife and two kids took over the operation it was important to them to keep the same values as previously. Georgia Forsee would join him as administrator of the nursing wing. The Wiebers were overseeing a staff of about 19 and about 40-50 “inmates” as they were referred to back then.

As the state began taking over orphanages and it soon became a federal and state issue, the Home became just used as a home for the aged. But even those numbers dwindled and the Home operations scaled back far from what they use to be. It was then used sporadically as a meeting place for a few groups including the Checotah Alzheimer Support Group from 1997-1998. Even a few flea markets were held on the grounds but nothing substantial was happening, leaving the future uncertain.

The property was able to make it on the National Register of Historic Places on June 14, 2001.  But after years of dwindling use, the idea was planted to close the Home. This sparked outrage amongst elder residents that most had sold their houses and belongings to live on the property. Where would they go now? The Home’s board of directors was terminated in an effort to postpone evicting tenants but it wouldn’t last for long. With dwindling Odd Fellow membership that had a high in the 1940s, the financials to keep the grounds open just didn’t work.

Even with opposition, the Odd Fellows Home Checotah was put up for auction and sold to Jesus Helping Hands Inc. With the future uncertain it was then placed on the POK Most Endangered List of 2005.

The Potters House 2004-

The new venture would become known as the Potter’s House and in 2006 began being renovated to house those needing temporary shelter. The first step to getting the facility open was to update the fire suppression system which would cost $20,000. The volunteer-based team had a resale shop bearing the same name and raised $7,000 through just that.

The grand opening was officially held on December 15th, 2008. But their mission was already well underway having served 500 families the year before. Most residents averaged at 36 days at the Potter House. Just two years after opening the facility had already welcomed 156 people totalling 5,641 overnight stays from people all across the US.

The funding to keep the House running was from two thrift stores run by Jesus Helping Hands and of course donations. It would appear that around 2012 the Potter House may have ceased operations or scaled back greatly, around the time the photos below were taken.

Freedom House Adult & Teen Challenge 2014- Present

Work to restore the century-old structure began in 2014 by the Freedom House Adult and Teen Challenge organization. Freedom House is for women aged 18+ who struggle with alcohol or drug abuse. The program says it takes on a holistic approach to healing and uses the word of Jesus to help aid in recovery.

They needed a larger facility to house more women and bought the property with a $300,000 matching grant aided by $170,000 from a private donor. They got to work cleaning up the outside and getting a new roof on the large building.

Since then renovations have been completed and the Freedom House organization seems to have made a permanent home out of the property, saving this building from certain doom had it been left neglected any longer.

Gallery Below of Odd Fellows Home Checotah

If you wish to support our current and future work, please consider making a donation or purchasing one of our many books. Any and all donations are appreciated.

Donate to our cause Check out our books!