Article: Elks Club holding its own; many groups can't say same

Nearly 40 years ago, author Vance Packard noted that fraternal orders "reached their peak of popularity in the 1920s, when most of the adult males of America belonged to one or more."

Since then, groups like the Elks have seen membership nose-dive, for any number of reasons. Milwaukee's Elks Club once had more than 5,000 members, but had declined to 2,700 in 1970 when the club was still at the east end of Wisconsin Ave.

That nine-story headquarters was razed 25 years ago, and a site at 5555 W. Good Hope Road was selected for a new lodge. Lodge historian Charles Gronitz recalled that "some of the south side (members) were a little upset at first."

But leaders of the Elks have no regrets about ...

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