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B.P.O.E. Lodge #2165

Winter Garden Elks Lodge

A fraternal order and community service organization proudly serving West Orange County and Central Florida.

Chartered 1960 • Winter Garden, Florida

📜 Our History

Winter Garden Elks Lodge #2165 was chartered in 1960, at a time when the city of Winter Garden was thriving as the heart of West Orange County’s citrus industry. The lodge was established by a group of community-minded citizens who wanted to bring the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks’ tradition of charity, justice, brotherly love, and fidelity to their growing corner of Central Florida.

The lodge number 2165 places it among lodges instituted around 1960 in the BPO Elks national registry. From its founding, Lodge #2165 has been rooted at 700 Ninth Street — a location just blocks from Winter Garden’s historic downtown district, the West Orange Trail, and the shores of Lake Apopka.

For more than six decades, Lodge #2165 has been a steady presence in the community through economic booms and busts, through the decline of the citrus industry in the 1980s, and through Winter Garden’s remarkable downtown revitalization that began in the early 2000s. The lodge is part of Florida Elks District 1760 and the Florida State Elks Association, founded in 1904.

1868
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is founded in New York City.
1904
The Florida State Elks Association is incorporated as a voluntary association of Florida lodges.
1908
The City of Winter Garden is officially incorporated, anchored by citrus farming and the railroad.
1960
Lodge #2165 is chartered in Winter Garden, FL — joining the national BPO Elks fraternity and beginning over six decades of community service in West Orange County.
1996
Downtown Winter Garden is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, preserving the neighborhood around the lodge.
2000s
Winter Garden’s downtown revitalization brings new energy to the area. The West Orange Trail becomes a regional destination. Lodge #2165 continues serving a growing community.
Today
Lodge #2165 remains active in veterans’ services, youth programs, scholarships, and community grants — open seven days a week.

📍 Find Us

The lodge is located at 700 Ninth Street, Winter Garden, FL 34787, just south of West Plant Street in the heart of Winter Garden. We’re a short walk from the West Orange Trail, the Garden Theatre, and the shops and restaurants of the Historic Downtown District.

Address
700 9th Street
Winter Garden, FL 34787
District
FL Elks District 1760

🕖 Club Hours

The lodge is open seven days a week for members and their guests.

Monday 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM Tuesday 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM Wednesday 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM Thursday 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM Friday 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM Saturday 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM Sunday 1:00 PM – 10:00 PM
🤝

Giving Back to West Orange County

From veterans’ charity rides to children’s book drives, homeless outreach, scholarships, and support for statewide Elks programs — Lodge #2165 is deeply invested in our community.

See Our Charitable Work →

🏘 About Winter Garden

Winter Garden is a city of nearly 47,000 people in western Orange County, about 14 miles west of downtown Orlando. First settled in the 1850s and incorporated in 1908, the city grew up around the citrus industry and the railroad lines that carried Florida oranges north to market.

The name “Winter Garden” reflects the area’s history as a place where citrus thrived through mild winters. Through the mid-20th century, packing houses and groves defined the local economy — and it was in this era, in 1960, that Lodge #2165 was chartered.

After back-to-back freezes devastated citrus farming in the 1980s and highway construction diverted traffic from downtown, Winter Garden entered a quiet period. But beginning around 2000, a community-driven revitalization effort transformed the historic downtown into one of Central Florida’s most charming destinations. The downtown was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996, and today features brick-lined streets, the Garden Theatre (opened 1935), the West Orange Trail, a year-round farmers market, and a thriving mix of restaurants, shops, and cultural venues.

Lodge #2165 has been part of this community through every chapter of its story — from citrus boom to downtown renaissance — and continues to serve the people of West Orange County today.