ODD FELLOWS HALL NW Corner Main and Court Square
     


The Odd Fellows building was a fixture on the Court Square corner until it was demolished to build the Columbian Mutual Tower in 1924.  After that, the Odd Fellows Order still maintained a floor in the new tower.  The "Hall", built in 1851, wasn't meant to be a traditional commercial theatre, but many touring productions were booked here over the years as well as practically a full-time schedule of local performances and events.  Whenever the city theatres were booked solid, this was the theatre of choice for touring productions.  It could seat 1000.  The Memphis Odd Fellow Fraternal Order was organized in 1843.  The Odd Fellows Hall is listed in the 1859  through 1922 Memphis Directories. 
   Odd Fellows Hall   Odd Fellows Hall

 

The "theatrical event of the century" occurred at the new Odd Fellows Hall in 1851 when Jenny Lind was booked for a single concert at the unlikely hour of 11 AM.  Tickets for the event cost $5 (Today, that would be over $200), and they sold out within hours - a high price considering that she only sang 6 songs and was in Memphis for a total of 3 hours.  And there was doubt that the performance would actually take place.  Jenny and her promoter P. T. Barnum, had booked Memphis "IF" her ship left New Orleans in time.   It did not, but they "worked it in", at the last minute.  The O'Hanlon Exchange restaurant on Main Street even took out an ad for Jenny.  In fact, no one who saw and heard "the greatest coloratura soprano of her time"   ever forgot - or ever ceased talking about it.  See related memorabilia below.

 

Odd Fellows Hall
 

Jenny Lind 1851

Jenny in Memphis Concert 1851

 1851 Program

1851 Ticket

1851 Ad

Giovanni Belletti
 

Ole Bull 1853

Ole Bull 1853

 Cristy Minstrels 1861 Va. Minstrels 1860 Louis Gottschalk Theo Thomas
 

 

Odd Fellows Hall -1910

1859

1862

Land-Slave Auction

Com Appeal 1861

 Appeal 1862   

 
 

Commencement 1855

 Illustration

O-F Grand Sires

Odd Fellow Certificate 1871

Odd Fellows Letterhead - 1910

NY Clipper 1860

 
 

Blind Tom 1861

Geo Christy 1861

Odd Fellows 1906

Odd Fellows 1903

Original Odd Fellows
 
 
       

       

       Daily Appeal 1867
 

        

     

Credits
 

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