The Washington-Rockville Elks Lodge #15 is an assemblage of several
local area lodges. The chronology of its formation is as follows:
| 1882: Lodge 15 was instituted on 12 February with 41 charter members at the Pythias Hall in Washington, D.C. located at 13 1/2 Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Brother Justus H. Rathbone demits from the New York Lodge #1 to become the first Exalted Ruler.The first Lodge meeting was held on 19 February at Moore's Hall, 309 9th Street. The rental cost for this location was $18 per quarter. |
| 1883: PER Hamilton E. Leach served as Grand Exalted Ruler from 1884 to 1885. The Lodge rented the new meeting space in the Marble Building at 9th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. |
| 1890: PER Edwin B. Hay served with distinction as the Grand Exalted Ruler from 1890 to 1891. He was referred to as the Colossus of Elkdom for healing the schism in the Order between the Grand Lodge and the New York Lodge. He brought them back into the fold. |
| 1894: The Lodge moved into the National Law College Building at 1006 E. Street which was purchased for $22,500. |
| 1898: Exalted Ruler M. Emmett Urell received the Medal of Honor on 14 October 1863 while serving as a private with the 82nd New York Infantry at the Battle of Bristoe of Bristoe Station, Virginia. during the Civil War. |
| 1908: On April 1st a ribbon cutting ceremony took place at 919 H Street, NW with most of the 679 members attending. The new Lodge home cost $93,442 which included plumbing, heating, electric wiring, fixtures, an elevator and a Turkish Bath. The building was three stories high plus having a basement with two bowling alleys and a roof garden. A reception was held after the dedication and the U.S Marine Band played at the affair. The Elks Choir also sang at the dedication. |
| 1916: The Elks entered a team in the D.C. Bowling Association and by 1945 they would have 12 men's and 8 women's teams. |
| 1917: During World War I the Lodge leased it's building to the Federal Government for use by the War Risk Insurance Bureau. The lodge initiate a program of providing doughnuts, coffee and other refreshments to the GIs which practice was picked up by the Salvation Army. The Lodge donated funds to the Salvation Army to help relieve this cost. Victory Bonds were purchased by the Lodge in excess of $100,000. |
| 1919: The Lodge initiated its largest class with 204 new members on May 14th with 750 members attending the meeting at the Willard Hotel. |
| 1920: The secretary reported that the membership had reached 2251 members. The Lodge organized an Elks BAnd. |
| 1924: The Elks Boys Band was organized and it played in the area until it was disbanded in 1960. |
| 1930: During the depression years the Lodge offered financial help to needy families in the community. |
| 1939: The Washington Lodge lobbied for 21 years until June 14th was finally designated as Flag Day. |
| 1941: After his death the George C. Pumphrey Fund was established in the Lodge for those individuals deemed in need by the Relief Committee. |
| 1942: The Lodge promoted the first blood Blood Bank for Children's Hospital. The Elks Follies entertained at the hospital and at military camps in the area. The Lodge strongly endorsed support for the veterans. The Grand Lodge picks up on this theme after WW II and pledged that: "So long as there is a disabled veteran in our hospitals, the BPOE will never forget them". |
| 1945: The membership exceeded 2700 and the Washington Lodge became one of the largest and wealthiest subordinate lodges in the Order. |
| 1964: The Rockville Lodge # 2296 was instituted on March 31. |
| 1979: The Lodge site was at 919 H Street was sold for $436,000 to the District of Columbia for construction of the DC Convention Center. The last meeting at that location was held on 19 December 1979. |
| 1980: Lodge meetings were held at the Prince George Lodge # 1778 as the search committee looked for a new home. |
| 1981: Meetings were also held at the Silver Spring Lodge # 1677 until Lodge # 15 could temporarily rent a lower level space at 5043 Wisconsin Avenue. |
| 1994: Lodge # 15 merges with Rockville Lodge #2296 and becomes known as the Washington - Rockville Lodge # 15. |
| 2002: The Bethesda Chevy Chase Lodge # 2357 which was instituted on September 25, 1968 merges with the Washington - Rockville Lodge. |