To Relieve the Distressed

March 2025.

The lovely eclectic Odd Fellows’ Home for Orphans, Indigent, and Aged (IOOF Home for brevity) is an example of the famous Columbus firm Yost & Packard’s work within Springfield. With many details from different architectural styles, it’s also a great example of Gilded Age eclecticism.

The IOOF Home is located at 404 East McCreight Avenue, several blocks north of downtown Springfield, Ohio. It is bordered by single-family homes on three sides and an apartment building to the east.

History

HABS survey photo of the IOOF Home. (Library of Congress)

The Odd Fellows are compelled to “visit the sick, relieve the distressed…and educate the orphan” as part of their beliefs. The first home they built that served this purpose was near Mildale, Ohio, a town in Hamilton County. It opened in 1890 and served elderly and sick Odd Fellows, as well as their spouses or widows. 

The existing IOOF Home in Springfield was designed by Yost & Packard in 1896 and opened in 1898. It was a departure from the firm’s Romanesque inclinations at the time, incorporating Chateauesque features, which were becoming more popular. The home was also intended to be two stories and have large wrap-around porches, which were not built and a third story was added. Apparently, many Odd Fellows lodges constructed afterwards modeled their architecture off of this building.

A view of the first (far left) and second additions (angled portion in foreground) to the IOOF Home. (Library of Congress)

An addition was built to the rear of the original building in 1906 to house a power plant and the washing machines. It was designed by architects Stribling and Lum. It originally had high gables and dormers, but these were removed after 1960. Two wings that projected 45° from the central portion were constructed by the firm a year later, meant to harmonize with the original building. 

HABS survey image of the lost hospital building. (Library of Congress)

A third addition, a separate Neoclassical hospital building, was built on the northwest corner of the property in 1916. It was known as the “Intermediate Care Facility” when the HABS report was written in 1987, but it has since been demolished. A similar building was built in the same position on the east side in 1925, which was originally a nursery but became the offices of the Grand Lodge from 1936 until after 1987. The covered porch by the main entrance is not original and was enclosed in 1926.

Some mid-century alterations include brick extensions to the hospital and nursery, which have also since been demolished, and adding a garage behind the power plant wing. 

Original plan of the IOOF Home before certain features were demolished. I’m curious if it was meant to take the Kirkbride form in plan.

A major renovation occurred between 1987 and 1988. This demolished the 1907 wings, parts of the original building, and the hospital building. They were replaced by new intermediate care wings, which stand today. Considering that the building had already been placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980 and documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1987, I’m very surprised that such sweeping alterations were made, which included demolishing portions of the original building.

The IOOF Home is used as an assisted living facility today, probably by the public, since fraternal organizations like the Odd Fellows have declined in membership.

Photos

The IOOF Home sits on a large, empty green lawn. It was rather daunting to approach from the street:

Even though the building has been altered, the original design is almost completely intact on its south facade:

Another view with the trees less in the way:

The central projection is the most Chateauesque in expression.

Its hexagonal towers, central dormer, hood molds, and steeply pitched roof are typical features of that style. The rest is kind of Renaissance-y, but not overly so.

Detail of the newer covered porch:

I really like the high conical roofs and the symbols on the dormer:

The hood molds above the arched windows are cool, too.

Another Chateauesque detail:

Okay, time to walk back to my car.

This was chronologically my last stop in Springfield, since I had to drive to get here but walked everywhere else besides the Westcott House. It certainly ended my trip with a bang.

If you want to watch a tour of the building, click HERE.

Sources:

https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/master/pnp/habshaer/oh/oh1400/oh1496/data/oh1496data.pdf

https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.oh1496.photos/?sp=1&st=gallery