Est. 1913 · Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks Lodge (1913) · BPOE architectural details including 11 o'clock clocks honoring deceased members · Performance venue serving Saint Cloud since 1998 · Granite City Radio Theatre broadcast venue
The granite-pillared building at 22 Fifth Avenue South in Saint Cloud was built in 1913 for the local lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. The BPOE letters are carved into the building's exterior stone facade, and two clock faces inside remain permanently fixed at 11 o'clock — the traditional time when Elks members hold a moment of silence honoring deceased members of their order.
The building operated as an Elks Lodge through much of the twentieth century before transitioning to its current use as a performance venue. Pioneer Place on Fifth opened in its current incarnation in 1998, with the stated mission of bringing professional entertainment to Saint Cloud audiences who might otherwise need to travel to the Twin Cities. The venue's 'elegant woodwork and massive construction' — as described in its own promotional material — are direct survivals of the 1913 Elks construction.
The current venue configuration includes the Main Stage theater, the Veranda Lounge music bar, and the Blue Goose Speakeasy. The Fabulous Armadillos are among the recurring acts, and the Granite City Radio Theatre broadcasts live from the space on KVSC.
Sources
- https://www.ppfive.com
- https://www.exploreminnesota.com/profile/pioneer-place-fifth-theatre/3081
Apparition of elderly man near men's restroomUnexplained electrical anomaliesObjects moving or found displacedUnexplained sounds
The haunted reputation of Pioneer Place on Fifth centers on a single recurring figure: an elderly man reported by staff, actors, and patrons near the men's restroom area. The apparition is not attributed to a specific historical individual, and no documented death has been publicly connected to the Elks Lodge era of the building in available sources.
Additional reported phenomena include unexplained electrical malfunctions — circuits and equipment behaving anomalously without mechanical explanation — and objects found displaced from where they were left. These reports come from multiple categories of people who use the space: those working regular shifts, performers in residence for runs of shows, and audience members.
The building's atmospheric interior, including the fixed 11 o'clock clocks, the carved stone Elks symbolism, and the persistent architectural gravitas of the 1913 structure, has contributed to an active local reputation as one of Saint Cloud's more credibly haunted commercial spaces.