05/28/2026
Throwback Thursday: Knights of Pythias Building 🏰✨
Long before downtown buildings were coffee shops, boutiques, and gathering spaces, 115 West Main Street stood as one of Plainfield’s most unique landmarks: the Knights of Pythias Building, often lovingly referred to as “The Castle.”
Today, the name Knights of Pythias might sound like something out of a medieval fantasy novel, but in the late 1800s and early 1900s, it was one of the largest fraternal organizations in America. Inspired by the Greek legend of Damon and Pythias, the group was built on the values of loyalty, friendship, honesty, and charity. By 1900, the organization had exploded in popularity nationwide, and Plainfield’s own chapter decided it was time to build a permanent home right in the heart of downtown.
That same year, the lodge constructed the striking three-story brick building at 115 W. Main Street, complete with castle-like details and dedicated spaces for community life. The third floor hosted Knights of Pythias meetings, the second floor became home to town offices and the famous Plainfield Opera House, and the first floor housed bustling storefronts that changed with the decades.
Before the brick building existed, the property was home to smaller wooden structures common along the old National Road corridor. In the late 1800s, the site included a post office, barber shop, meat shop, and storage sheds before everything was razed to make way for the grand new structure.
Over the years, the building became far more than just a lodge hall. It was a social hub for the entire community.
🎭 The upstairs opera house hosted high school graduations, theatrical productions, lectures, traveling performers, and even magician shows in the early 1900s.
✂️ The first floor became home to longtime businesses like Spot Cash Store and the Palace Barbershop.
🪩 By the 1940s and 1950s, the upper floors transformed into dance halls, recreation spaces, Boy Scout meeting areas, and gathering spots for organizations like the American Legion and VFW.
🧵 In later decades, the building housed businesses many longtime residents may still remember, including Plainfield Fabric Shop, Mary Carter Paint & Wallpaper, Beswick’s Photography Studio, Fantasy Photography and Frames, and more.
Like many historic downtown buildings, the Knights of Pythias Building constantly evolved alongside Plainfield itself.
In the 2000s and 2010s, many residents came to know the space as home to Flowered Occasions, where flowers, décor, gifts, and community classes filled the historic structure with life once again. Around 2010, the building officially became part of the Plainfield Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its architectural and cultural significance to our town.
Today, the building continues its story through ongoing revitalization efforts. Under new ownership and restoration, the property is entering another exciting chapter with the development of Roots Market + Eatery and The Eyrie event space, bringing fresh energy while preserving the history that has stood at this corner for more than 125 years.
Downtown Plainfield has always been more than buildings. It’s generations of memories layered into every brick, storefront, performance, haircut, dance, and conversation shared along Main Street. 🧡
A huge thank you to Discover Downtown Plainfield board member Feng Xue for compiling this incredible research and helping preserve the story of this historic downtown landmark.
Content adapted from 50 Historic Buildings of Plainfield, Indiana by Sarah Wright, used with permission. Thank you to the Indiana Room at PGTPL for preserving the historic photographs of Downtown Plainfield.
