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Cañon City Lodge No. 7, I.O.O.F., was one of the earliest Odd Fellows chapters in Colorado.  In 1914, architect Jacob B. Gile was hired to design a new lodge using Late 19th and Early 20th Century American Movements/Commercial Style to produce a structure worthy of housing the Odd Fellows and their auxiliary, Harmony Rebekah Lodge No.  98. Both Lodges moved into the second floor in 1915 and remain there today.

One of the most notable businesses on the first floor was the Thomas Hardware Company. Young brothers Ray and Mike Thomas operated for 21 years in the I.O.O.F. building.  Fremont County had 8,000 coal miners in the early years and many bought carbide for their miners’ lamps at Thomas Hardware.  Coal stoves were also big sellers. Thomas Hardware outgrew the building in 1937 and moved on.