Endangered Since 2020: Billy Webb Elks Lodge
Portland, Oregon (1926)
The Billy Webb Elks Lodge, an icon of Portland’s African American Albina neighborhood, continues on its path to restoration as one of Restore Oregon’s Most Endangered Places. In its 98-year history, the Billy Webb Elks Lodge has served as a Black YWCA, a USO center for black servicemen, and as a Black Elks Lodge at a time when the Elks organization did not allow black members.
Since then, the Lodge has provided community services and served as a social gathering place providing an environment that promotes safety, dignity, respect, and pride for people of color who have long and deep ties to the Albina community.
In the early morning of September 11th, 2021, the Billy Webb Elks Lodge in North Portland’s Albina neighborhood suffered a devastating fire as a result of trespassers. The decking attached to the rear of the building caught fire, which in turn ignited two adjacent walls and the roof above the lodge’s ballroom. Thankfully, the fire was reported quickly enough that it was contained in time to save much of the building.
Unfortunately, the blaze left gaping holes in the building’s roof, and burnt rafters throughout. Water has destroyed the walls and floor of the ballroom, as well as the basement below, and the entire interior has been damaged by smoke.
The structural damage was more than anticipated, and with overall higher prices for construction costs these days, the Lodge had to make the hard decision to complete restoration in two phases. The work to repair and restore the 1926 building has been slow but consistent.
Phase 1 work included replacing just over half of the roof trusses, an entirely new roof, rebuilding the exterior two walls and the necessary tasks to enclose and protect the building. Work also included restoration of the second-story windows by installing two newly fabricated replica wood windows and repairing two original windows with a hands-on preservation training with students and local community members. Led by the Clatsop Community College Historic Preservation program, the two-day field school workshop happened in June 2024 as part of Restore Oregon’s Urban Racial Justice Field School funded by the University of Oregon Just Futures Institute. The final piece of Phase 1 is a new secondary building egress for fire/life safety anticipated to be complete by June 2025.
Phase 2 – In order to re-open the Lodge to the public, the interior restoration work needs to be completed. The Lodge leadership is raising significant funds to begin this last phase of repairing the fire damaged structure later in 2025 with the goal of re-opening in the following year, in the building’s 100th anniversary year!
Learn more about their work by visiting this page.