The Palace Lodge is a historic commercial building in the small town of Winslow, Indiana, United States. Since its construction in the late nineteenth century, the building has been the location of several businesses, the meeting place for two different secret societies, and the center of the town's commercial district. It has been declared a historic site because of its historically significant architecture.HistoryIn the late nineteenth century, Winslow was the home of two different fraternal orders: the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. Seeing the benefits of coöperation, the two lodges worked together to erect a building in downtown Winslow, at the intersection of Main (now State Road 61) and Center Streets. After the building was finished in 1892, the two lodges used it jointly: their meetings were held on the first story, and they employed the second story as office space.Unfortunately for the lodges, they became encumbered by debt soon after the building's construction, and their financial difficulties required them to sell the building in 1898. Local businessman Logan Robling purchased the property, which he converted into a general store. After his son Monroe Robling left the peddling business, the two men operated it together under the name of "L. Robling and Son." They remained in business until 1946, when they sold the property to Monroe's daughter Winifred and her husband, Neil Brown; the Browns operated a grocery store on the property for thirty-five years. Both the general store and the grocery store only occupied the first floor of the building; the second floor was typically used for office space or as apartments.
