Take a good look at that building to your left-a real throwback and a bit of an oddball for downtown Tyler. This is the Elks Club Building, and it’s rocking the International Style-think clean lines, flat roof, hardly any frills. Back in 1949, when folks still wore hats just to run errands, this would’ve looked almost futuristic. Architect Carl Gregory designed it-he wanted a structure that got straight to the point and made a statement without saying too much.
The local Elks Club-famous for charity, camaraderie, and maybe a little harmless mischief-called the upper floors home. There was a ballroom, a dining room... not a moose head or velvet curtain in sight. Downstairs, they rented out the shopfront, which helped pay the bills-smart move in an era when a dollar stretched a lot further than it does today (we’re talking steaks for a buck, which would set you back about fifteen nowadays).
If you’re noticing that massive window front and center, thank Sullivan, a big influence for Gregory. The whole building was carefully restored around the turn of the 21st century, so you’re seeing it more or less as 1949 intended. When you’re ready, Liberty Hall is just four minutes north-let’s keep moving.
