Tallahassee Elk's Lodge Hidden Treasure
Bruce Peck, a past Elk Exalted Ruler said as we started our tour "When we go through this, there's some things I want you to look at, this is all hand carved by two brothers, so we're going to walk up to the alter."
Tallahassee Elk's Lodge 937 holds what many could call a national treasure of furniture, which was purchased in 1912 for a mere 14-hundred dollars from the first Elk's Lodge in New York City. And that's not all that makes it an American treasure.
Bruce said, "Past presidents of the United States took their oath in New York City right here in front of the alter in the center of the room."
Lodge members say, past presidents such as Teddy Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman. And with that kind of history, there's no telling who else has graced the more than 120 year old seats.
Jan Thorburn, an Elk Loyal Knight said, "When I first sat in one of these chairs, I was like, Oh my heavens, who has sat in this chair? Who has sat in this chair before me? And that just really blew me away." And what might blow many others away, Lodge members say they could make more than a million dollars on their 1,400 dollar investment.
But Bruce Peck said, "The grand lodge wants it, the state of Florida wants it, but we're sitting in here and we're still keeping it and it's a beautiful situation."
