70 Government Street, Duncan, B.C.
There is anecdotal evidence that Temple Lodge, No. 33 used the second floor of this building at the intersection of Government Street and Craig Street in downtown Duncan as its Lodge meeting rooms between December 1899 and January 1902, when the Lodge began renting space on the second floor of the Duncan Emporium Building from Wor. Brother Harry Smith. Other anecdotal evidence suggests this commercial building was built in the 1890s by Wor. Brother James Evans, a Charter Member of Temple Lodge, No. 33.
We are currently looking for documentary evidence to support or refute this anecdotal evidence.
The accuracy of this anecdotal evidence is open to question. Early building records for this structure are unavailable but City of Duncan records suggest the building dates from the 1920s rather than the 1890s. Unfortunately, the City of Duncan records for this period are often unreliable so this documentary evidence is not conclusive. We are currently looking for additional documentary evidence to support or refute either of these possibilities.
This building currently houses two retail businesses. The main floor is occupied by Jim's Pools and Spas while the second floor, which we believe may possibly be the the site of the first Lodge Rooms used by Temple Lodge, No. 33, is occupied by RC Extreme Sports.
