The Independent Order of Odd Fellows | Episode 41

01/15/24 • 24 min

14 Listeners

In this episode of the Your Town Podcast, the hosts discuss the history and strange discoveries associated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. They explore the origins of the organization, its services and benefits, and its decline in popularity. They also delve into the unsettling findings of human remains in former Odd Fellows lodges and speculate on the reasons behind their acquisition. The episode concludes with a reflection on the ideal Odd Fellows lodge and a call for listener suggestions for future episodes.Takeaways

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows originated in 18th century England as a guild for individuals who did odd jobs and did not fit into established trade guilds.
The Odd Fellows provided a range of services and benefits to their members, including health care, pension plans, and retirement communities.
The popularity of the Odd Fellows declined in post-World War II America due to the availability of government-sponsored social safety nets.
Several former Odd Fellows lodges have been found to contain human remains, which were likely acquired for ritualistic purposes.
An ideal Odd Fellows lodge promotes fellowship, philanthropy, and positive contributions to the community.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows originated in 18th century England as a guild for individuals who did odd jobs and did not fit into established trade guilds.
The Odd Fellows provided a range of services and benefits to their members, including health care, pension plans, and retirement communities.
The popularity of the Odd Fellows declined in post-World War II America due to the availability of government-sponsored social safety nets.
Several former Odd Fellows lodges have been found to contain human remains, which were likely acquired for ritualistic purposes.
An ideal Odd Fellows lodge promotes fellowship, philanthropy, and positive contributions to the community.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Balloonfest Blizzard '86 | Yore Town Podcast Episode 40

17 Recommendations

In this episode, Beard Laws discusses the disastrous Balloonfest86 event that took place in Cleveland, Ohio in 1986. The event was an attempt to break the world record for the most balloons launched at once and raise funds for the United Way. However, due to unfavorable weather conditions, the balloons fell back to earth prematurely, causing chaos and obstructing traffic. The balloons also ended up in Lake Erie, leading to an international cleanup effort. The event resulted in a lawsuit against the United Way and the closure of the balloon release category in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The Balloonfest86 event in Cleveland, Ohio in 1986 was an attempt to break the world record for the most balloons launched at once and raise funds for the United Way.
Due to unfavorable weather conditions, the balloons fell back to earth prematurely, causing chaos and obstructing traffic.
The balloons also ended up in Lake Erie, leading to an international cleanup effort.
The event resulted in a lawsuit against the United Way and the closure of the balloon release category in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Next Episode

Nutty Putty Cave Death | Yore Town Podcast Episode 42

22 Recommendations

In this episode of the Your Town podcast, the hosts discuss the tragic death of John Edwards Jones in the Nutty Putty Cave in Utah. They provide an introduction to the topic and give shoutouts to other podcasts. They then describe the activity of spelunking and the unique characteristics of Nutty Putty Cave. The hosts delve into John Edwards Jones' passion for caving and his decision to revisit the cave with his brother. They explain the fatal error made at a fork in the path and how Jones became stuck in a narrow passageway. The episode covers the rescue attempts, final goodbyes, and the sealing off of the cave. The hosts reflect on the tragedy and invite listeners to suggest future topics.Takeaways

Spelunking, or caving, is a recreational exploration of wild cave systems that requires experience and is not for the faint of heart.
The Nutty Putty Cave in Utah is a unique cave system with narrow passageways and challenging conditions.
John Edwards Jones, a medical student and avid caver, tragically became stuck in a narrow crevice known as Ed's Push and was unable to be rescued.
The cave was eventually sealed off, sparking outrage among cavers who wanted to continue exploring the site.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.