The town of Gahanna, a suburb of Columbus, Ohio, is home to a Loyal Order of Moose lodge -- one of 122 in the state. It is also now home to the Ohio State Moose Association Museum -- dubbed "The Moosesonian" -- which is housed in the lodge's basement.

Jim Stonerock, 80 years old and a Moose member since 1950, is curator of the collection of robes, helmets, pins, ribbons, swords, and the heavy brass bells used in Moose rituals. All of it was amassed by himself and a dozen other Moose history buffs, nine of whom have since died.

The 1.5 million-member Moose organization was formed in 1888. Its founder named it the Moose because he wanted it to be bigger than a similar fraternal organization, the Elks.

"We're not some podunk outfit," Stonerock said, defiantly, according to an AP story. "There are going to be busloads coming in."

This is likely a better place to find out about the Moose lifestyle than the children's training city known as Mooseheart. The 1,200 acre "Supreme Lodge of the World" at Mooseheart, Illinois, home to disadvantaged children, doesn't care for publicity -- at least not our kind.... [02/15/2003]

November 26, 2009