The Tiffin Moose was founded in 1947 above a local store in downtown Tiffin, Ohio.  Throughout the 50’s and early 60’s, the lodge grew rapidly, adding new members each year.  Eventually, the lodge outgrew the small second floor bar downtown.  In 1966, a new building was completed north of Tiffin in Clinton Township on State Route 53.  The 1960’s through the 1980’s were a “golden era” for the Tiffin Moose.  Eventually, the Tiffin Moose increased it’s membership to over 2500 members, most of whom were active in the organization and always there to volunteer at fun, family events.  In 1988, a large addition was added onto the lobby & small ballroom; and a large, brand new Social Quarters was constructed to meet the needs of the growing membership.   Throughout the 1990’s, the lodge continued to thrive, while not necessarily adding new membership and resting on the status quo.  As the lodge moved into the new millennium, membership was on the decline as the membership aged and their children were focused on careers, education, and starting a family.

As time went on through the 2000’s, a lodge leadership and membership, who was either unable or unwilling to move the lodge into the future, watched the membership continue to decline, allowed the building to fall into disrepair, and was less focused on the community. Eventually the Tiffin Moose was operating as little more than a bar — an unwelcoming private club for only certain member’s family and friends.  By 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic ravished the United States, the Tiffin Moose was in steep decline, showing a loss week over week, and being supported almost solely by it’s popular Bingo operation.  The Tiffin Moose was “Stuck”… mired in obsolete tradition, a decaying building, arcane & bizarre rituals, a toxic division between the men and women, and leadership and members unwilling to change in order to move forward and make the lodge attractive to a new generation of Moose members.

BEGINNING May 1, 2021, Moose International voted to officially create a new and unified Moose membership where ALL members, male and female, would have equal opportunities, rights and privileges within the Lodge.  This was a difficult change for many of our older members, but a welcome change for younger members who share different values than many of their predecessors, especially regarding women’s’ roles in the lodge  .

In January of 2022, the Tiffin Moose finally began to come under all new leadership who actively embraced the new “One Moose” directive from Moose International.  The new leadership had progressive ideas for The Tiffin Moose.  No longer happy with the dark, dingy, and dirty lodge that the former leadership and some members incorrectly felt was acceptable to younger and more progressive potential Moose members; the new leadership voted to begin “The Tiffin Moose Modernization Project”.  The new leadership, with the help of some wonderful and supportive members, began to aggressively make long-overdue and necessary updates and repairs to this once beautiful and active lodge.   During that time, the Women of the Moose chapter at the Tiffin Moose was dissolved due to members who no longer wished to be active in a women-only division of the Moose, but felt strongly that they could now make more of a contribution to a new unified Tiffin Moose.

Finally, The Tiffin Moose was moving forward!  We were ONE MOOSE, with a common goal of re-building our much loved lodge and re-introducing the community to The Moose and the benefits of membership.   As of March 2023, much of the the lodge has been updated to feel more modern and welcoming.  One of the most notable changes our members comment on often is that the lodge is CLEAN and no longer smells of 30 years of cigarette smoke.

Most of our members are extremely happy with the changes the Moose has seen, and more importantly, are once again proud of their updated Moose Home… no longer embarrassed to bring their family and friends into the lodge!  Today’s Tiffin lodge boasts a newly remodeled Ballroom where we host LIVE MUSIC almost every Saturday night; a large Arcade with three (3) Pool Tables, video games, and electronic dart boards; a refreshed Social Quarters (bar area) with eleven (11) televisions including our 100 inch “Moose MegaTron” TV to watch all your favorite sports games; and a leadership and membership who has returned to our core values of charity and family.

The Moose Modernization Project is a long-term project with updates and maintenance being performed on the lodge almost weekly.  This will continue as time and money allow.  If you haven’t been to the Tiffin Moose in a while, we encourage you to come back and see the changes.

If you’re new to the Tiffin Moose and the Moose organization, we invite you to visit us.  Any of our members would be excited to show you around and answer your questions .  If you think membership is right for you, we’ll be happy to help you become a member through our easy application process.  Come experience the Tiffin Moose!  You won’t regret it!