<div class="description">
Three photographs of the C. G. Murphy Company located in the Knights of Pythias Building, 1046 Central Avenue, Middletown, Ohio. Photographs are dated 1941. Third photograph is wide shot Central Avenue looking east. G. C. Murphy Company was a chain of variety stores that was located throughout the United States. The chain began operation in 1906 and officially closed in 2002. By 1976, the chain consisted of 529 stores. During the 1920s, the G. C. Murphy Company opened a store in Middletown, located at 1046 Central Avenue – what is referred to as the Knights of Pythias Building. The store used the first and second floors of the building, while the Knights used the third – 1044 Central Avenue. By 1953, the G. C. Murphy Company relocated next door to 1050 Central Avenue, when the John Ross Store (later The Mabley &amp; Carew Company department store) moved to 1101 Central Avenue. The G. C. Murphy Company then connected 1050 and 1046 Central Avenue, making one store. The basement, first floor, and second floor were used for display and sales, while the third floor became G. C. Murphy’s local offices. With the construction of the Middletown Mall, G. C. Murphy’s address changed to 110 Middletown Mall / City Centre Mart / City Centre Mall. In 1979, the store closed and left Middletown. The Knights of Pythias is a fraternal organization and secret society founded in Washington, D. C. in 1864. The Lafayette Lodge No. 37 was originally instituted on November 13, 1871. The charter was surrendered on October 15, 1873, but reinstated on November 10, 1873. The local meeting places of the organization were originally referred to as Castles and, eventually, Subordinate Lodges. In 1891, the Knights were meeting on the northwest corner of Third Street (present-day Central Avenue) and Main Street. From at least 1910 to 1916 the Knights met in the Leibee Building at 303 ½ Main Street. Starting in 1918, the Knights moved to what became known as the Knights of Pythias Building, located at 1044 and 1046 Central Avenue. The Knights, who owned the building, occupied the 1044 Central Avenue address – which represented the third floor of the building, while 1046 Central Avenue – which represented the first two floors of the building - was occupied by a number business, most notably the G. C. Murphy Company store. The Knights occupied this location until 1990. From 1975 to 1990, the building was a part of the downtown mall, and the address was changed. The Knights are not listed in the 1991 City Directory, but reappear in 1992 at 1209 Central Avenue. In 1993, they moved to 1211 1st Avenue, where they were listed until 2016. The Knights were not listed in the 2017, 2018 or 2019 city directories. The Supreme Temple Order Pythian Sisters, Lafayette Temple, No. 379, a sister organization to the Knights of Pythias, also used 1044 Central Avenue as a meeting place. From 1924 to 1938, a second Knight of Pythias Lodge was also present in Middletown. Meeting at 902 8th Avenue, this second lodge was the “Colored” Lodge. The Court of Colanthians, Miami Valley Lodge No. 38, Minnehaha Temple, No. 263 and the Ladies’ Auxiliary Valley Court, No. 58 all met there. In 1938, the 902 8th Avenue lodge also shared its space with the Improved Benevolent Protective order of Elks of the World, Lodge No. 456, another “Colored” society.</div>
1941<div style="display: none;">date QS:P571,+1941-00-00T00:00:00Z/9</div>
This file was contributed to Wikimedia Commons by <a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q69487667" class="extiw" title="d:Q69487667"><span title="public library system in Ohio, USA">Midpointe Library System</span></a> as part of a cooperation project. The donation was facilitated by the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Public_Library_of_America" class="extiw" title="w:Digital Public Library of America">Digital Public Library of America</a>, via its partner Ohio Digital Network.<span style="text-align:left">
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<li>DPLA identifier: <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://dp.la/item/33a5ddddf553802522e2ce9f58ff96d4">33a5ddddf553802522e2ce9f58ff96d4</a></li></ul></span>