Entry No. 53 — the Dallas file — filed under: odd-fellows-lodge
100 West Corsicana (Artist & Writer Residency)
An 11,000-square-foot 1890s Odd Fellows lodge in downtown Corsicana — virtually unaltered since construction — now hosts international artists and writers in vast, light-flooded studios, with a tiny public Storefront gallery open Fridays and Saturdays where you can browse resident books and art and peer into one of Texas's most quietly extraordinary creative spaces.
The story
Fifty miles south of Dallas down I-45 sits Corsicana, a town better known for oil-boom history and mail-order fruitcakes than international contemporary art. But behind the unrenovated brick exterior of an 11,000-square-foot 1890s Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodge, you'll find one of North Texas's most quietly secretive creative sanctuaries. In 2012, artist Kyle Hobratschk took over the decommissioned lodge, leaving its high-ceilinged Victorian structure virtually unaltered while setting up a first-floor woodshop to hand-build furniture for the spaces upstairs.
That site became 100 West, an international residency program that hosts visual artists and writers for two-month stints in vast, monastic workspaces—including 2,400-square-foot studios in the former Encampment Hall and meeting rooms. Because the main lodge is a working retreat strictly off-limits to drop-ins, the organization opened a tiny public Storefront gallery two blocks away at 203 North Commerce Street. It's the public window into an operation that feels equal parts secret society and rigorous art laboratory.
What it's like
A visit requires precise timing since the public Storefront gallery at 203 North Commerce Street only opens on Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Park along the quiet downtown streets and head inside the Storefront to browse publications, prints, and small works created by resident artists. Afterward, take the short walk around the corner to 100 West Collin Street to inspect the lodge's preserved 1890s facade and peer directly into the Anteroom—a street-facing installation window that stays lit for sidewalk viewing 24/7. Cap off the half-day outing with a stroll past the surrounding oil-boom architecture before picking up fresh kolaches at Collin Street Bakery a few blocks away.
The move: Drive down on a Friday or Saturday (Storefront is open 10am–4pm), browse the resident artists' and writers' work at the gallery at 203 N Commerce St, then walk the half-block to the lodge itself at 100 W Collin St to admire the unrenovated Victorian facade and peer into the Anteroom (viewable from the sidewalk 24/7) — finish with a wander through Corsicana's oil-boom-era downtown architecture before grabbing kolaches at Collin Street Bakery a few blocks away.
📍 Before you go Corsicana is about 50 miles south of Dallas — a straight shot down I-45 that makes this an easy half-day trip. The residency splits across two downtown addresses a half-block apart: the public Storefront bookshop-gallery on N Commerce, and the historic lodge around the corner on W Collin. Only the Storefront keeps public hours (weekends), so plan around that; the rest is a residents-only working space, viewable mainly from the sidewalk. Downtown is compact and walkable, so park once and explore on foot — Collin Street Bakery and the old oil-boom storefronts sit within a few blocks. Spring and fall keep the walking pleasant.
- 📍 Corsicana
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 100 W Collin St (lodge/studios) & 203 N Commerce St (Storefront gallery), Corsicana, TX 75110
Hours: Mined 2026-06-07 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Galaxy Drive-In Theatre — Positioned directly off I-45 in Ennis, this nine-screen drive-in makes an easy outdoor movie stop on your drive back to Dallas after an afternoon in Corsicana.
- Webb Gallery — Located 30 miles northwest in Waxahachie, Webb Gallery occupies a 1902 downtown building packed with outsider folk art and fraternal antiques that perfectly complement the Odd Fellows history of 100 West.
- Munster Mansion — Also in Waxahachie, this painstakingly constructed Victorian replica offers another dive into unusual architecture and obsessive craft.
Good to know
Can you tour the interior of the main 100 West lodge building?
No. The 1890s lodge building at 100 W Collin St serves as private studio and living quarters for current residents. Public access is restricted to the Storefront gallery at 203 N Commerce St, sidewalk viewing of the Anteroom window, or designated seasonal Open Studio events.
What are the public hours for the Storefront gallery?
The Storefront gallery and bookstore is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
How far is Corsicana from Dallas?
Corsicana is roughly 50 miles south of downtown Dallas, making it an easy 50-minute drive down Interstate 45.
What can you see at the Anteroom window?
The Anteroom is a street-level exhibition window at the lodge site showcasing rotated installations and works created by residency alumni, fully viewable from the sidewalk 24 hours a day.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · resartis.org · glasstire.com
last checked: 2026-06-07