ABOUT INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS

Our History

Bay View Lodge No. 109, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, celebrated its 100th anniversary on October 4, 1962. Established in 1862, it is the oldest fraternal organization in Redwood City and likely the oldest in San Mateo County. Odd Fellowship arrived in California shortly after the gold rush, with many early lodges still active today in the Mother Lode region. Bay View Lodge’s founding members were all part of California Lodge No. 1 in San Francisco, and dues were set at $1 per month until the late 1950s.

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The lodge was founded by six Odd Fellows: Charles N. Fox, James W. Turner, Solomon H. Snyder, Andrew Teague, Thomas W. Lathrop, and Joseph S. Keith, with its first meeting held in Concert Hall on the Redwood City Courthouse’s upper floor. Over 150 people attended the institution ceremony. Charles N. Fox, a lawyer, became the first Noble Grand and later the Grand Master of the Odd Fellows in California. The Fox family was integral to the civic and cultural life of the area.

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Odd Fellowship’s core values—"visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead, and educate the orphan"—were passionately upheld by early members, leading to the lodge’s rapid growth, reaching over 100 members within a decade. In 1882, the lodge acquired land, and in 1895, they dedicated a new building.

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Over the years, Bay View Lodge expanded, with hundreds of members initiated, including George H. Buck, a prominent judge and legal figure in San Mateo County. His leadership and dedication were vital to the lodge’s success.

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Being part of the Odd Fellows means fostering a spirit of community service, supporting others in times of need, and honoring a legacy of fellowship and charity. The bond among Odd Fellows is rooted in shared values of compassion, mutual aid, and making a positive impact on society.

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                                                                    Friendship, Love and Truth