Once Cordova was rich with social organizations: The Benevolent Order of Elks, The Freemasons, the International Order of Oddfellows, The American Legion and many more. Now in 2026 there are only a few remaining – The Cordova Loyal Order of Moose Lodge #1266 is one of them, and is marking its 100th year this month.
Established on May 5, 1926, Cordova Lodge #1266 started out at that time with some 80 to 100 charter members. The beginning of the Cordova Lodge was the outgrowth of efforts by two of those charter members, Marvin P. Roark and Joe Whitefield. Both men gave considerable time and effort to its establishment and future development.
Meetings were initially held in the first floor of the building on the corner of Second Street and C Street, where the Prince William Motel stands today. That same building housed the Cordova Community Hospital on the second floor. Lodge membership showed a continual increase during the two years in this building.
In these early years of Cordova’s Moose Lodge, a large percentage of members lived at the mines in LaTouche, and a still larger group resided in Kennecott. These two groups became so large that at one time it was considered feasible to open up new lodges at both of those locations. When the Copper River and Northwest Railway closed in 1938 and the mining ended in LaTouche, Cordova remained the most viable lodge in the vicinity.
During this time, Cordova’s biggest, most modern, and concrete Lathrop Building was erected, which included on its first floor a theatre of large dimensions. The cabaret closed its doors somewhere around 1928 and the Moose Lodge inherited the place for clubrooms and a meeting hall. After three years in this location, the owners decided to build a cold storage locker in the space so the lodge moved to the Eagle Hall over Urquhart’s Barber Shop, where they met for eight years, until growing membership demanded larger quarters.
The third move turned out to be the final one for the lodge. The membership rented from the Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) Hall in what is now their present home on Second Street. When the opportunity to purchase the building became available the lodge took the offer. A small room was added on the first floor and then increased in size by the addition of a wing the entire length of the first floor.
For many years, the Moose Lodge has supported community events, provided scholarships and carried out myriad of good deeds for Cordova. The Lodge sponsored the Fourth of July Street Games beginning in 1971; sponsored a softball team; held a sportsmen’s club raffle; held Monte Carlo Nights; co-sponsored with the Elks a kids Fishing Derby, and held a Golden Ball.
The Bob Korn Scholarship Fund established by the Elks Lodge in 2001 was transferred to the Moose Lodge and became the Louie Hasbrouck Scholarship Fund at that time. Now the scholarship fund honors long time Moose Manager Steve Johnson and the funds go toward supporting awards to graduates of Cordova High School for students pursuing further studies in academic or vocational fields. Other scholarships are also available to children of Moose Lodge members.
A major contribution to the community was the donation by the Moose Lodge in 1987 of the first lift van for patients and long-term residents of the Cordova Community Medical Center.
Throughout the year the Moose Lodge has sponsored numerous events for the community including: Christmas Parties, Breakfast with Santa, Halloween Parties, Men’s League Basketball sponsors, Thanksgiving Dinner, Veteran’s Day Dinner, and the Iceworm Festival. It has also supported the wrestling team and the U.S. Coast Guard men and women stationed in Cordova. Famous for prime rib dinners, the Lodge continues to offer Friday night feasts to feed the community family!
The membership for the lodge ebbs and flows like our tides, and the Moose Lodge is continually looking for folks interested in supporting the establishment and its good work in Cordova. There are currently 296 members. Consider joining the lodge as one of the few remaining social organizations left in Cordova!
