About

1748

First Odd Fellows Lodge in London

On this date, the earliest surviving record of an Odd Fellows lodge meeting was documented in London, in the minutes of the Loyal Aristarchus Lodge No. 9 . This marked the recognized beginning of the Odd Fellows fraternity, laying the groundwork for an organization that would later spread internationally.

1810

Manchester Unity Founded in England

In 1810, a group of English Oddfellows in Manchester broke away to form the Independent Order of Oddfellows Manchester Unity . This new unified order revitalized Odd Fellowship in Britain and soon began chartering lodges overseas, paving the way for the fraternity’s global expansion (including the first lodge in North America in 1819).

1819

Odd Fellowship Arrives in America

On April 26, 1819, Thomas Wildey and several colleagues established the first American Odd Fellows lodge – Washington Lodge No. 1 – in Baltimore, Maryland . This event introduced Odd Fellowship to the United States, marking the fraternity’s first major expansion outside of Europe and sowing the seeds for a thriving independent branch in the New World.

1843

American Odd Fellows Become Independent

In 1843, the U.S. Odd Fellows severed their ties with England’s Manchester Unity and proclaimed themselves the Independent Order of Odd Fellows . This organizational break made the American branch an autonomous fraternity, which rapidly grew in size and influence to become the largest fraternal order in the world by the late 19th century .

1851

Odd Fellows Open Membership to Women

On September 20, 1851, the Odd Fellows adopted the Rebekah Degree, forming the “Daughters of Rebekah” as a women’s auxiliary to the Order . This made Odd Fellowship the first U.S. fraternal order to officially admit women members, a milestone that broadened the society’s inclusivity and cultural significance.

A Legacy of Service and Fellowship

The Odd Fellows tradition is rooted in timeless values. Members progress through three core degrees—Friendship, Love, and Truth—with further degrees of Faith, Hope, and Charity available through the Encampment.
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In California, Odd Fellows have long honored the duty to bury the dead, helping establish cemeteries and a mausoleum on the outskirts of San Luis Obispo—work still remembered through historic photos in our Lodge.
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Notable members include Ah Louis and Alex Madonna, with lasting contributions from the women of the Rebekah branch.