Boise Lodge #310 History - for those interested
Early in 1894, a group of energetic men conceived the idea of forming an Elks Lodge in Boise City, and they met
many times in the law offices of Hawley and Puckett to discuss the issue. After a great deal of planning, selecting
candidates, and groundwork, an application for a new lodge was sent to Grand Lodge.
On October 20, 1894 dispensation was granted to form the CAPITAL CITY LODGE #310, BENEVOLENT AND PROTECTIVE ORDER OF ELKS (B.P.O.E.). The first meeting place selected was in rooms
above Lemp’s Saloon, on Main Street, between 7th and 8th Streets, known as Lemp’s Hall. It is reported that a
hole had been cut in the floor between the Hall and Lemp’s Saloon. When a round of drinks was wanted, a call
down through the hole in the floor was made to “Mike” the bartender, who would prepare the drinks and bring
them up the stairs to the thirsty Elk brothers.
The Capital City Lodge #310 was instituted by Harry K. Moore of the Moscow Lodge #249, on March
19, 1896, with 50+ charter members. Of the Charter Members, there were a few notables:
J.H. Richards became the 1st Exalted Ruler, and R. H. Johnson was the 1st Secretary,
William. J. McConnell (known as Poker Bill, governor at the time, later Senator),
James. H. Hawley, Sr (a PER, became Governor in 1911)
John M. Haines (became Governor in 1913
William E. Borah (became Senator Borah), and
Other known Charter Members were:
A. R Andola L.L. Armsby F. E. Beal
Thomas Cabalan A. H. Capwell R. P. Chattin
B. H. Coleman J. A. Czizek J. N. Eden
R. M. Fairchild D. N. Figgins E. J. Frawley
F. W Galbraith E. L. Horrie S. B. Kingsbury
John McMillan Charles A Myer J. L. Morgan
N. S. Nafey Benjamin Nillson B. J. Northrop
Wm N. Northrop William B. Puckett F. C. Ramsey
Morgan A. Regan E. Schmelgel George G. Steen
C. L. Sweet George H. Stewart PER Portland B. A. Thacker
At the March 1896 meeting of the Lodge, held at the Odd Fellows Hall on Eighth Street in Boise, Harry
K. Moore as acting Grand Exalted Ruler was the presiding officer at which the first Trustees were elected: F. E.
Beal, Morgan A. Regan, B. H. Coleman. These Trustees were elected to take charge and the management of its
property and affairs and to form the Corporation. The Corporation was officially formed on April 29th, 1896 for a
term of Fifty (50) years with the Idaho Secretary of State in the pursuance of a Social and Benevolent Corporation
known as:
CAPITAL CITY LODGE NUMBER 310, BENEVOLENT AND PROTECTIVE ORDER OF ELKS.
This document was officially recorded in Book E of Domestic Incorporations on page 240 on the 28th of December
of 1896.
At the Grand Lodge Convention of 1909 in Los Angeles, by resolution, the name of the Lodge was
changed to BOISE LODGE NUMBER 310, BENEVOLENT AND PROTECTIVE ORDER OF ELKS. It
took until the July 1st, 1913 for this process to culminate with J.W Woodworth Exalted Ruler, and G. A Latham
Secretary to complete the Name Change with the Idaho Secretary of State.
In May 1946, Boise Lodge #310 considered it necessary and desirable to continue such corporate existence by making the same perpetual and filed such a request with the Idaho Secretary of State.
During July 2022, Steve Terry a Parma resident called the office and asked if we would be interested in a
document from 1894, and the answer was a yes. Two gentlemen Stuart Terry and his son Steve Terry came to the
Lodge with a Grand Lodge document dated October 20, 1894, which IS the Dispensation document from Grand
Lodge granting the formation of the Capital City Lodge, which would be holding meetings in Boise ID. As previously stated, the Lodge didn’t actually get instituted until 1896, due to the dependence on the Moscow Lodge
#249 providing Officers for the Institution of the Lodge, and Installation of the Lodge Officers.
This document when appropriately framed should probably hang in the Lodge room along with the Lodge
Charter.