In 1886 the town and the Ancient Order of United Workmen decided to build a structure to house meetings of both organizations.

Sitting on a foundation of limestone blocks, it is a two-story frame structure with symmetric openings, small corner pilasters, fascia board beneath the eaves, and a raking cornice - all characteristic of the Greek Revival style.

Most of the second story is one large room which was the meeting hall of the New Glarus AOUW, still furnished with some of the lodge's original wooden furniture.

[4] The town's part of the hall hosted elections and a municipal court, in addition to the jail cells.

Over the years, other fraternal organizations were allowed to use the building, including local chapters of the Women's Relief Corps of the GAR, the Odd Fellows and Sisters of Rebekah, the Gegenseitige Unterstützungs Gesellschaft Germania, the Wilhelm Tell Guild shooting club, the New Glarus Männerchor, the Edelweiss Stars, the Swiss choir, the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, and the 4-H club.