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RED MEN

PRIDE OF DELAWARE COUNCIL #43 DEGREE OF POCAHO NTAS

In 1904 Delaware Tribe No.43, Improved Order of Red Men (1.O.R.M.) laid the cornerstone for the three-story building at the southeast corner of Maryland Avenue and Potomac Street. That structure was then and is now one of the most imposing in Brunswick and after being the Eagles' home for years it continues to serve the community as the Brunswick Museum. In its first life, the Redmens' Hall was the location for various social and entertainment affairs including public meetings, dances, plays, and early "flickers." In 1905 the First Baptist Church held services there while their building was under construction and from 1915 to 1920 the Bank of Brunswick operated on the first floor. The Brunswick Post Office was also located on the first floor from 1920 to 1929 as was Freeman's Bakery for most of that time, and highschool classes were held there in 1928 after the school burned in January of that year. The somewhat fearsome statue of the Indian brave in full headdress and holding a spear was a local landmark well remembere d by the citizens for more than 40 years. Delaware Tribe No. 43 was organized on July 5, 1867 with six charter members and was an institution for Berlin, and later Brunswick, for 78 years. It became Brunswick' s oldest fraternal organizatio n with membershi p reaching 380 in 1906. Early lodge meetings were held in rooms rented first from William Dean and later from Joseph Waltman. In 1873, the tribe purchased from Waltman a stone building on the site of the Winebrenne r building (now Gunther's Auction), and that became the town's first Red Mens' Hall. It was also used by Catoctin Lodge, Knights of Pythias, and by Brunswick Masonic Lodge 191.The IORM exercised strict discipline and fined its members for such things as fishing or splitting wood on Sunday, and forced one to pay 25 cents for spitting on the floor of the Wigwam. They clashed with the B&O when tracks were to be laid close to their building and resorted to the use of dynamite in trying to thwart an early-morni ng track laying. Sadly, a "brave" held a stick too long when he recognized his father among the track gang, resulting in an amputated hand and a B&O victory. Membershi p declined and the Tribe disbanded on September 15, 1945, but it left behind a lasting legacy for the town of Brunswick.

Pride of Delaware Council #43, Degree of Pocahontas, organized February 14, 1923, only three years after the Grand Council of Maryland was organized. Its purpose was to "foster freedom, friendship, and charity," for which it had community and service projects. The Council's meeting places changed many times over the years. It once owned the building at Maryland Avenue and Potomac Street, where older citizens remember "the good old days" when they held dances, presented plays, and held social functions at the Red Men's Hall. It disbanded in January 1985, with 32 members who transferred to Tippecanoe Council #100, State of Maryland. S - Evelyn Ambrose W-MMM

ROTARY CLUB The Brunswick Rotary Club was organized on April 25, 1927 at the B&O YMCA which has been its base of operations for almost its entire existence. Its purposes are to promote understand ing and good will among the peoples of the world beginning at the club and community level. Promotion of its purposes and ideals is achieved through Club, Vocational, Community , and International Services., Community is perhaps the most important avenue of service and the Brunswick club has to its credit many accomplish ments which help make a more wholesome community . Working with youth of the area is one of its proudest and most effective projects, with such activities having included sponsoring a student loan program; Little League baseball team; Gold "B" program for high school students; student participatio n in Boys' State. With other groups it fostered the Brunswick Library (Rotarian Leonard Carmack served as its first president and William Wenner was its first treasurer when it became a reality in 1962). The club also conducts a Junior Rotary Program. Through the Rotary Group Study Exchange program, young business persons live in foreign Rotarian's homes. The club has sponsored Dwight Smith, who visited Scotland; Walter Anderson, who visited France; and David Carmack, who served as team leader of groups to France. Brunswick Rotarians have hosted approximat ely 130 scholars from

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