Preserving the Heartbeat of Albina: Billy Webb Elks Lodge

By investing in the Lodge, we joined local efforts to combat the erasure of what was once considered the Soul of Portland.

Peering through the newly restored windows of the Billy Webb Elks Lodge, you would never know a fire devastated the building just three years ago. The ballroom chandeliers still glow with warm light; the wooden floors still smell of fresh polish. And if you close your eyes and listen closely, you can still hear the hum of conversation and laughter in the ballroom as soft jazz spills from the juke box.

Images like this fill Deborah Roache’s memory of her childhood. Before she became the fraternal organization’s Daughter Ruler, she grew up hearing stories about how the Lodge was the center of everyday life for generations of Black Oregonians. Read the full piece by Taryn Sauer, Communications and Engagement Specialist with Meyer Memorial Trust.

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