PM Park, Clear Lake, Iowa

PM Park is a restaurant and lodging establishment located on the south side of Clear Lake in Clear Lake, Iowa, United States. It was established in 1914 by the Patriarchs Militant, the uniformed branch of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.), which was founded in 1886 by the Sovereign Grand Lodge. The park originally served two purposes: to provide a gathering place for meetings and training sessions of the Patriarchs, and to offer a summer camp for less fortunate children. At one time, every U.S. state had one or more PM Parks; the Clear Lake PM Park is one of the few remaining. The original site included two buildings: one used as a gathering place for eating and entertainment, and an adjacent dormitory for the children. Today, the main building houses a restaurant with a kitchen and two dining rooms on the main floor—one overlooking the lake and the other overlooking a large lawn—and a second-floor party room for events such as weddings and class reunions. The former dormitory building is still used for lodging, with rooms modified to accommodate individuals rather than groups of children. PM Park also offers short-term apartments just up the road and a cottage for summer rental. A lakeside Tiki Bar, built and opened in the summer of 2007, serves beverages and closes at midnight to respect the neighbors. The park provides lake access with a dock for boaters. PM Park is owned by the Patriarchs Militant, who lease the facilities to Cristine and Rahn Bragger to operate the restaurant and lodging. At least once a year, the Patriarchs Militant gather at the park for a week of meetings, ceremonies, and other events, known as PM Week. The establishment operates as a small summer retreat from mid-May to mid-September, seven days a week, offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

What is now PM Park has its roots in the Oddfellows, which was founded in the United Kingdom in the 18th century. Eventually, the Odd Fellows found their way to the United States, where they founded an independent chapter in Baltimore, Maryland in 1819. According to Patriarchs Militant literature, occasionally a war would erupt and the men would be summoned to fight, but someone would have to stay behind to take care of the children, the orphans, women who were left alone, and the elderly who still needed care. These people were called the Patriarchs Militant. The Patriarchs Militant are the uniformed branch of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.), established in 1886 by the Sovereign Grand Lodge, the international governing body of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The Patriarchs Militant were known as protectors; the motto the Patriarchs lived by was “Justitia Universalis, Pax aut Bellum”, (Universal Justice, Peace or War). In 19th century America (and Britain and Australia), orphanages were common. As part of their role to care for the widows and orphans, the Patriarchs Militant set up "PM Parks". At one point in time, every state in America had one or more PM Parks. The Clear Lake PM Park is one of the few PM Parks left. There were two purposes of PM Park. The first was to provide a gathering of places for meetings and training sessions of the Patriarchs. The second was to provide a summer camp for children who were less fortunate. PM Parks gave children a summer vacation in a life that didn’t offer much luck. The PM Park in Clear Lake, Iowa was established in 1914. When it was first built, it included two buildings. One of the buildings was used for a gathering place for eating and entertainment. The other building, that sits right next to the first, was a dormitory for the children to stay in. They are located on the south side of the lake. Still to this day the PM Park in Clear Lake, Iowa is owned by the Patriarchs Militant. The Patriarchs lease out the facilities to Cristine and Rahn Bragger to run restaurant and lodging facilities. At least once a year, the Patriarchs Militant make their way to the park for a week at a time holding meetings, ceremonies, and various other events. This point of time is called PM Week. Currently the PM Park establishment is a small summer retreat that offers a variety of options. The main building that was once used for a gathering place for eating and entertainment for the children’s camp is being used as a restaurant. The main floor holds the kitchen and two dining rooms. One dining room overlooks the lake, and the other overlooks a large lawn, with some view of the lake and landscaping. The restaurant offers breakfast, lunch and dinner. On the second floor of the building there is a party room to hold events anywhere from a wedding to a class reunion. The second building original to the park that was once the dormitory is still being used for lodging. The rooms have been modified to accommodate individuals and not just a group of children. PM Park also offers short term apartments that are available just up the road from the restaurant, as well as a cottage for summer rental. This expansion has allowed more space for families to come and relax as well as offer a more long term experience. The newest addition to PM Park is a lake side Tiki Bar. The bar was built and opened in the summer of 2007. The bar only offers beverages and closes at midnight to respect the neighbors around PM Park. PM Park also offers lake access with a dock to anyone who cares to come by way of boat. PM Park is open from mid May to mid September, seven days a week.

• 2007

  Lakeside Tiki Bar built and opened in the summer.

• 1914

  PM Park in Clear Lake, Iowa established with two buildings: a gathering place and a dormitory.

• 1886

  Patriarchs Militant established by the Sovereign Grand Lodge as the uniformed branch of the I.O.O.F.

• 1819

  Independent Odd Fellows chapter founded in Baltimore, Maryland.

A historic, family-oriented summer retreat and dining destination on Clear Lake, Iowa, operated as a leased hospitality business under the ownership of the Patriarchs Militant.

• Restaurant dining

  Breakfast, lunch, and dinner served in two dining rooms, one overlooking the lake and one overlooking a lawn.

• Lodging rooms

  Rooms in the original dormitory building, modified for individual guests.

• Short-term apartments

  Apartments available just up the road from the restaurant.

• Summer cottage rental

  A cottage available for summer rental.

• Lakeside Tiki Bar

  Beverage-only bar opened in summer 2007, closes at midnight.

• Event/party room

  Second-floor room for weddings, class reunions, and other events.

• Lake access with dock

  Dock available for boaters.

1. 1PM Park, Clear Lake, Iowa - Wikipediaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2PM Park, Clear Lake, Iowa - Wikidatawikidata.org