The St. Luke and Odd Fellows Hall is a historic structure located at 203 Gilbert Street in Downtown Blacksburg.  This two-story, narrow building is the only remaining structure of New Town, a once vibrant African-American community.  Constructed in 1905 as the meeting place for the local Lodge of the Grand United Order of the Odd Fellows, as well as the Independent Order of St. Luke, the Busy Bee Society, and the Household of Ruth Lodge. The Hall became a social and civic anchor for New Town and the wider African American community, serving as a central, welcoming place that supported its members socially and economically from the early 20th century through the Jim Crow era. 

The St. Luke and Odd Fellows Hall Working Group has prepared a draft Strategic Restoration & Preservation Study to share with the wider community.  This study represents the group’s efforts from Nov 2023 to the present and details the elements considered and deliberated upon by the group; key findings and recommendations made by the project team of architects, structural engineers and other professional consultants; and a set of proposed actions to further restore and preserve the historic building and site.  The Working Group is seeking feedback from the community on the study’s recommended actions to ensure they uphold the intention to celebrate the building’s history and character, while ensuring the functionality and longevity of the structure for future generations to experience. 

Please plan to attend a drop-in style community meeting, at the St Luke and Odd Fellows Hall, 203 Gilbert Street on Wednesday, Oct. 16 between 5—6:30 pm.

For more information, contact Carol Davis, Sustainability Manager at cdavis@blacksburg.gov or 540-443-1617