In 1950 a massive fireplace was completed in E. Urner Goodman’s “Brotherhood Barn” located in the Green Mountains of Vermont. The fireplace project had begun in 1948 as a tangible recognition of the admiration all Arrowmen had for the Order’s founder.

National Chairman G. Kellock Hale, Jr. and Robert H. Heistand, 1946 National Chief (as an adult) and member of the National OA Committee, shepherded the gift project. Much to Goodman’s surprise, in late 1948 and early 1949, heavy packages with postmarks from all over the country started showing up at Goodman’s Vermont retreat. The packages contained stones that were marked with the sending lodge’s name and in some cases the lodge’s number that would eventually be assembled into a fireplace. Lodges were also asked to write and mail their histories to Hale and make a contribution (if they decided to do so) of $3.00 to help with the construction of the fireplace.

The “Brotherhood Barn”, where the fireplace was built, was also of significance to the Order. In its time, it served as a “hostel for Brothers” that took the journey to Vermont. As quoted from a letter to Goodman, after visiting the barn,

 . . . speaking of the fireplace, it is a masterpiece of craftsmanship, and something we all should be proud of.

The fireplace project and completion of the fireplace was meant to serve as a cheerful reminder to our founder that ten’s of thousand’s of boys and men shared his idea of true brotherhood among men. This is where there would always continue to burn the fire of brotherhood that was kindled thirty-five years before.