This building might look
familiar to many Dunvegan residents: the DRA (Dunvegan Recreational
Association) Hall. The DRA Hall, like many historic buildings, has served many
purposes and organizations in its lifetime.
Built in 1919, the
building was constructed to replace the original Loyal Orange Lodge, erected in
1867 and used as a meeting place for Orangemen in Dunvegan. After the new Orange Lodge was built, the original was sold to Alex Urquhart who moved it across the road
and used it as a private house. In 2005, it was dismantled and moved to the
museum. Although talk of a new Orange Lodge began in 1914, the First World War
stopped plans and no mention was made in minutes until Feb. 1919.
The new Lodge was built by
Frank Schell of Maxville and constructed of cement blocks and originally two storeys high. Members of the Building Committee received $1.00 per day for
their labour. Since its opening, the hall was used not only by the Orange Order
but also other organizations in the community. It was used for church suppers
and events, dances, etc. During WWII, it held parties for every boy that joined
the Armed Services.
As time passed and talk of
disbandment brewed among the few Orange Order members, they turned the hall over to the Women’s Institute for a fee of $600 in 1974. The Orange Order and
W.I had a close relationship and a history of organizing events together
including, an annual Turkey Supper to raise funds for both organizations.
In 1978, the hall
underwent extensive renovations. The cement blocks at the top of the building
were cracking and the walls were spreading apart. Members feared the hall was
unsafe and Angus John MacLeod undertook the task of renovating the hall into a
one-storey building and constructing a new roof. The above photographs are some before and
after shots of the building. Below is a photograph of an Orange Order meeting
at the Hall in 1921. These are from two pages in the Dunvegan Tweedmuirs.
No comments:
Post a Comment