My knowledge of fraternal orders is very small, but I came across a photo in a 1923 issue of the Pantagraph of the new Damon Lodge of the Knights of Pythias. This was located at 410 W Jefferson, where there is now a church. The lodge was a very impressive building, and I am willing to bet that many people remember this building near downtown.
The Knights of Pythias was a fraternal order with apparently no link to a particular employment, church or other belief, other than teetotalism. It was the first fraternal order recognised by the US Congress in 1864. One branch of the order broke off and became the American United Insurance Company. This is not a far stretch from the purpose of the Order, which was for the support of the families of members on the death of the member.
Work on the building began in August 1922, and was an addition to another building purchased earlier. The contract for the work was awarded to C J Newlin. CJ Newlin was a local contractor who also was building the new Lutheran church in Normal in 1922 and in 1920 had been the contractor for the Lafayette Apartments. No mention of the architect of the building has been made in the Pantagraph that this writer could find.
The home that was expanded had belonged to Stephen Smith, a pioneer resident of Bloomington and storekeeper. Abraham Lincoln had been entertained in the home. In 1971 the membership of the lodge was only 10 men and they could no longer afford to keep up the lodge, or Castle, as it was called after the expansion, in 1923. The building fell to the wrecking ball in 1971.