On June 25, 1946, Wauchula Lodge No. 1700, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks received its charter and met at the new lodge’s rooms in the Beeson Building at Seventh Avenue and Main Street. Sixty-one citizens of Hardee County had petitioned the Grand Lodge for a charter for a lodge of that order in Wauchula. Those petitioning for the charter were: J. R. Allen Jr., John G. Allred, C. A. Barker, Frank Bass, William B. Beeson Jr., J. D. Bocher, George R. Bolton, C. R. Bostick, L. Grady Burton, L. M. Carlton, Ralph Carlton, Joe M. Chambless, A. F. Cosey, Dr. M. A. Collier, H. O. Coker, J. W. Crews, Edgar L. Dresser, B. R. Farmer, Luther Finley, B. N. Forrest, C. J. Gay, Harry Gibbs, Dr. E. R. Harman, J. N. Hendry Jr., Leslie Hord, H. F. Johnson, W. J. Kelly, Dale A. Knight, J. W. Lessley, L. L. Linder, H. F. McDonald, C. C. Miller, Raymond Mincey, Reuben D. Moore, Frank Moseley, Frank Palmer, R. L. Park, Louis Parrish, A. B. Pearce, H. S. Perin, E. H. Posey, F. H. Pruitt, Perry M. Raines, C. T. Ratliff, F. E. Roberts, W. D. Rushing, E. H. Safer, James S. Sweigart, Al G. Smith, Max R. Smith, Edward D. Sockalosky, C. H. Taylor Jr., Dewey Walker, W. L. Warren Jr., M. Weiner, Sam Weiner, W. Blocker Whidden, L. E. Williams, H. A. Yetter.
In the mid-1950s, the Elks moved to their building on 318 West Main Street, Wauchula.
The Wauchula Elks Lodge No. 1700 closed in July 2009. On September 1, 2009, Elks USA Grand Exalted Ruler James L. Nicholson announced that it had officially lost its charter due to failure to have a full complement of officers, not making required reports, lack of a sound financial condition, failure to promote programs, and not responding to the efforts of an appointed special representative. Two appointed trustees, Raymond Bibisi of Bradenton and Brian Burns of Arcadia, were placed in charge of the building and contents, owned by the Grand Lodge.
At 11 A.M. on February 12, 2010, the property, owned by the Grand Lodge, was scheduled to be auctioned off. Located at 318 West Main Street, Wauchula, its 14,750 square foot-building and parking lot are on about one acre with 250 feet frontage on Main Street.
Because the minimum bid to be accepted was $200,000 and was not reached, the building and lot were not auctioned. FINR and Roy Brown, two interested parties, never bid over $100,000.
Victory Investment Services LLC headed by Gary Delatorre, a local realtor and real estate investor whose holdings include the Wauchula city block on Hwy. 17 that used to be the site of an orange processing plant, purchased in March 2010 for $220,000 the Elks lodge from Wauchula Lodge No. 1700 Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States of America Inc.
January 15, 2010, April 2010