Elyria Elks Club
Why it's listed
This two-story brick building on the south side of Second Street in Elyria, Ohio, was built in the early 1900s as a meeting hall for the local Elks chapter and still serves that purpose. Before it was built, the Elks occupied various downtown buildings for some time. It was the first building constructed entirely for their own use. Its Renaissance Revival design draws heavily on classical motifs. Two-story Corinthian pilasters support a richly detailed entablature accented with medallions. Above the entrance, a balcony and a set of windows are framed by Ionic pilasters and another entablature. The second floor holds a large meeting hall. The building has a stone foundation, a flat composition roof, a three-bay front and about 50 feet of street frontage. It sits close to the street with no lawn, and a large blacktop lot owned by the Elks lies to the east. The building was recognized chiefly for its architecture, since few buildings in the city share this styling and detailing.
Significance in brief: The inventory form says the building is notable chiefly for its architectural styling. It makes extraordinary use of classical motifs, and few buildings in the city have comparable styling and detailing. It was also the Elks' first building made entirely for their own use.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 79002726, listed August 13, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 246 2nd St., Elyria |
|---|---|
| County | Lorain County |
| Listed | August 13, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002726 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a meeting hall; interior and exterior condition are both listed as very good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Elyria Downtown-West Avenue Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.36617, -82.10631 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 79002726.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5368516
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.