Greetings from West Paris!
On Oct 12th, 1876, the West Paris Lodge No 15 of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows dedicated their new “Centennial Hall” with a supper and ceremony. Approximately 250 people attended the supper where cakes and pies and “all the edibles which can be manufactured by New England cooks” were served along with “unsurpassable coffee provided to wash them down,” according to the Oxford Democrat. The dedication ceremony lasted for over three hours with even women in attendance, an unusual standard for groups at the time. Speeches were made by the IOOF officers and local talent provided entertainment.
