Restoring Lynn Haven's past

Richard Thomas Walker is vice chair of the Heritage Society of Lynn Haven. He also admits he is one odd fellow, and he's not the only one.

"The thing that's most interesting about the Odd Fellows," said Walker. "Most people don't know what it is."

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows came to America from England.

"Their challenge in life is to take care of the widows and orphans," explained Walker. "If a widow had a problem mowing the lawn or the plumbing is bad the odd fellow would come out and do the odd job."

In 1912 the Odd Fellows helped build Roberts Hall in Lynn Haven to use as their lodge, among other things.

"Roberts Hall had the stage and the auditorium upstairs, where Hank Williams sang in 1940," said Walker.

After years of disrepair, the city came close to tearing Roberts Hall down. The Odd Fellows and Heritage Society of Lynn Haven jumped into action. It took them six years to finish the work and now Roberts Hall is a popular gathering place.

The group is now setting its sights on The McMullin Library that was built in 1911. The first library building in Bay County didn't stay in one place though. It was moved once to make room for the widening of Ohio Avenue where the current library sits. After being moved three more times Walker hopes has finally found a permanent home on Georgia Avenue.

"All the buildings around in this area where she is situated now were built in 1911 or 1912," said Walker. "Roberts Hall 1912, the church across the street 1913."

They take their time when restoring these old buildings. Especially since all the work is voluntary.

"The original estimate to renovate the McMullin building, $110,000," said Walker. "The windows alone were $55,000. That we couldn't accept. We own the building, we work on it."

Renovations to the McMullin Library won't take nearly as long as the six years it took for Roberts Hall.

"It's a small building. We have three or four guys working here three days a week about six to seven hours a week. Then we go to the woodshed and do our homework designing things that were done back in 1911. Because everything has to be back the way it was."

Phase one of the two-phase project, the outside of the building, is complete. She has a new roof, coat of paint, new steps and the siding has been repaired. Now they're well into phase two.

"We've gutted this whole building," said Walker, "And then we're coming up with plans to put the ceiling up and get everything inside."

It's tedious work. For instance, there are 17 windows in the building. each window requires two weeks of work.

"Some of the glass was made in the 1800's," said Walker. "We don't replace that if we can avoid it. A piece of that glass there is $30 a square foot if you can get it."

Walker told us this will be the last project for his group.

"The average age of the men that worked on Roberts Hall, the three left standing was 85. and now that is 87. I think this is our last fanfare. I don't know who else is younger and gonna take our place."

The second phase for the McMullin Library should take a year. Then the building will serve as a different type of educational tool. It will become the tourist welcome center for the city of Lynn Haven, a place for children to come and learn the history of the town and it will also serve as a meeting place.