Omega Lodge No. 281 of the Odd Fellows was organized in Portland in and was the oldest organization in the city. In the beginning, the lodge met in the attic of a home.

They met in various places until finally building a new lodge at the northeast corner of Meridian and Arch Streets. The lodge occupied the upper stories and the Portland Motor Parts occupied the first floor of the building for many, many years.  

After the lodge disbanded in 2025, they donated many of their belongings to the Jay County Historical Museum. Some of these are now on display. Watch for more of the history of the lodge in a future issue of the Journal.