Benham Store/Crescent City Masonic Lodge

The Benham Store Building is the oldest documented commercial building in Crescent City. It was constructed about 1883 for Hiram Benham, who opened a general store in the building. Benham came to Crescent City that year from Jacksonville where he had operated a successful mercantile store. In 1907 it was purchased by William Miller who also operated a store there. The local chapter of Masons purchased the building in 1920 for use as a meeting hall. In the mid 1930s the Federal Emergency Relief Agency operated a canning plant out of the ground floor of the building. The Masonic Lodge underwent a complete renovation in 1939. An original tiered veranda was removed and the interior spaces were modified to create large open areas for meetings and events on the first and second floors. A kitchen and fireplace were also added. The building continued to serve as a Masonic Lodge until 1994 when Charles and Debi Lane purchased it and opened a bait store there. In 2001, the building was purchased and renovated to create the famous 3 Bananas restaurant, which has been open for 20 years.