Allan Richards displays a Knights of Pythias symbolic lamp a relic from the first United States Chartered fraternal organization. It was recently discovered in the rafters of a downtown Toledo building. -Photo provided

The Pythia Story – Toledo, Iowa

On the Court House Square in Tama County, Iowa stands a 100 year old building with significant historical connection. Yes, the former County Attorney Building just south of the entrance to the Tama County Courthouse is a historical treasure.

The building having housed Tama County offices for decades, and previously home to the American Legion and Tama County Farm Bureau what else could be of historical importance.

The Knights of Pythias, the first United States Chartered fraternal organization may have used this building as a Pythian Castle. In February, 1864, Congress, at the suggestion of President Abraham Lincoln suggested that this organization seek a charter of Congress and authorization to be a charitable group.

In the rafters of this building at 121 West High Street, Toledo, Iowa, was found an original lantern from the late 1800’s with the symbol of a Knight, and the letters F, C, B. The letters representing Friendship, Charity, and Benevolence, the founding principles of the group.

The founder, Justus Rathbone, took the concept and name from the poem of Damon & Pythias, a Greek legend where Pythias, sentenced to death was allowed to return home to tend to his last affairs, but the King was not to be fooled, so Damon volunteered to take his place to be executed if Pythias did not return. As legend has it, the King let them both go free when Pythias returned because of the great friendship showed between the two men.

Tama County history does record the presence of the Knights of Pythias in the County. Former Presidents Roosevelt, McKinley, and Harding, as well as, Vice Presidents Humphrey and Rockefeller were members.

The maxim of the Pythagoras were that you speak the truth and render benefits to each other.

The Order began during the Civil War and President Lincoln believed that the group might do much to heal the wounds between the North and South during the Civil War. What an amazing concept, could the wounds between Tama and Toledo be healed. Could the fight between destroying the past and tearing down our historical sites nobly be a lesson. May a new light shine upon us creating new friendship, chanty and benevolence.

The intrinsic qualities of 1) historical significance, 2) natural beauty, 3) cultural lessons, 4) recreational value, 5) architectural importance, and 6) scenic pleasure be preserved for future generations. The cost is extremely high when we continue to take away the greatest assets we have from past generations.

I think, that a County tied to Abraham Lincoln through his land ownership, the building of a Memorial Bridge in his honor, and remnants of the first American Order ever chartered by an Act of the Congress of the United States at the President’s suggestion, should think twice before our continued destruction of this history.

A lesson learned of Friendship, Charity and Benevolence, doing the right thing should not be as hard as offering to give up life for fellow humanity.

Save the Lincoln Highway Bridge and save our historical buildings.