Cover image courtesy of MLK Saratoga
The Frederick Allen Lodge is located within Saratoga Springs, NY in the Beekman Street Arts District: 69 Beekman St. It has historically been a fraternal organization that did charity for the Black community. Nowadays, it still holds those values and exists as a prominent social club and gathering space for the Black population in Saratoga Springs. It is one of the only Black owned establishments that has survived and is still operating in this town. And now, it is in danger of vanishing.
Congress Street, which was a central hub for the Black community in the 1920s, held the original location of the Frederick Allen Lodge, amongst other popular Black owned businesses. Unfortunately the building burned down and the community space was moved to its current location in the Beekman Arts District. The lodge holds annual events such as Spelling Bees, Fashion Shows, BBQ Jazz Fest, charity events, and overall is a safe, inclusive community space for people whether they’re local community members or visitors of Saratoga Springs. The community members have also offered scholarships and financial support to graduating high school seniors of color.
Recognized as one of the oldest lodges in the town from the building’s inception in 1845, The Frederick Allen Lodge, originally a fraternal organization for men, is affiliated with The Mary A. Carter Temple, a women’s auxiliary or a “sister organization” for women that came into fruition on September 17th, 1925. The lodge’s namesake is after a Black man named Frederick Joseph Allen. Allen was born in 1862 and is noted to be the first African American to work for the city of Saratoga Springs in the Saratoga Public Works Department.
The Frederick Allen Lodge, also known as “The Black Elks Lodge, '' is a local chapter of the Improved Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the World (I.B.P.O.E. of W). The I.B.P.O.E of W is a social club/fraternal organization that was created to provide a space for Black people and people of color who were not able to engage in the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (B.P.O.E), which was a white organization whose purpose as a social club was and is "To promote and practice the four cardinal virtues of Charity, Justice, Brotherly Love and Fidelity; to promote the welfare and enhance the happiness of its members; to quicken the spirit of American Patriotism and cultivate good fellowship."
Back in 2005, there was a fire that put the building in disarray and due to the old building’s maintenance needs, coupled with a lack of funding, the lodge was in danger of losing its location. Fortunately, they were able to gather the necessary funds through loans and a $500 donation from the Adirondack Trust Co to make repairs. Former Mayor Ken Klotz and former Mayor Joanne Yepsen , along with volunteer non-profit organization, The Giving Circle came together to help the functioning of the lodge with restoration projects. The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation has also provided approximately $55,000 in funding for rehabilitation and restoration of the lodge. The funds gathered by former mayors Klotz and Yepsen were raised as a required match to a $50,000 New York State Main Street grant secured by the Foundation. The lodge today is in need of community support to survive their current economic struggles.
The exalted ruler, Kendall Hicks partakes in the running of the lodge. I was able to speak with Kendall Hicks, Joy King (great-granddaughter of Frederick Allen) and former member Dora Lee Stanley, who were able to provide some insight on the lodge and its history. I briefly stopped by the lodge on Sunday, October 17th and noticed that they were having a workshop with a fellow Beekman Arts District organization, “C.R.E.A.T.E. Community Studios” called Erasing Spaces and Faces: Stories and the Legacy of Urban Renewal in Saratoga Springs. A couple of John B. Moore Documentary Studies Collaborative (MDOCS) students from Skidmore College were there as well in collaboration with C.R.E.A.T.E, documenting the event. Marginalized members of Saratoga Springs were able to express their experiences of displacement and isolation while living in the town during the aftermath of the Urban Renewal Program.
Image courtesy of Saratoga.com
According to Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation, The Urban Renewal Program (URP) was approved in 1961 with an Urban Renewal Agency (URA) that subsequently formed in 1962; “the Agency had six stated goals: eliminate slums and blight; expand and strengthen the central business district; establish a central residential area; expand the tax base; provide off-Street parking; and improve infrastructure and traffic patterns.”
This took a great toll on the community and their businesses, which is why the conversation is still being had today. In addition to those stories, there were opportunities for creation by those who attended, such as an open mic and the creation of a mural of the Congress Street area that existed before the events of the URP in the 1960s.
The Frederick Allen Lodge occasionally works alongside MLK Saratoga, a community based organization that promotes diversity and social justice through their events and dialogues in the town. Lezlie Dana, a member of MLK Saratoga, helped raise awareness of an urgent request for help from the community early this October, which was received to the Skidmore College community through an email chain from another member, Hollyday Hammond.
"The Frederick Allen Lodge on Beekman Street is one of only a few historical Black owned community establishments still standing and operating in our city. It has been financially struggling for a while -- the pandemic has contributed greatly, not having guidance or support to get any kind of PPE or government assistance” Dana stated.
The loss of this space would be a significant loss for the Saratoga Springs community to not only have a safe space for people, but as well as prevent them from having a space to collaborate with others, provide opportunities for charity, and advocate for change.
As the Frederick Allen Lodge is in danger of being forced to close its doors, they have expressed the need for community donations. Evidently, Saratoga Springs operates as majority-white populated city in its political and social scene, and thus it is valuable for the Frederick Allen Lodge to remain open as a safe, welcoming space for its population of color. This includes the BIPOC students of Skidmore College, who could use the space and develop a rapport with the organization. One can donate to the GoFundMe at this link:
Correction issues November 4th, 2021:
The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation has also provided approximately $55,000 in funding for rehabilitation and restoration of the lodge. The funds gathered by former mayors Klotz and Yepsen were raised as a required match to a $50,000 New York State Main Street grant secured by the Foundation.