The story of the Hotel Donaldson is deeply rooted in Fargo’s past. Built in 1893 after a devastating fire destroyed much of the downtown area, the ”Odd Fellows Lodge,” as it was initially known, served as a headquarters for the International Order of Odd Fellows, an organization in which members bonded through an ethical lifestyle of truth, love and friendship. In the mid-1910’s, the property changed hands and became a workingman’s hotel – Hotel Donaldson – with shop space rented out on the first floor to several local businesses.