How old is your Lodge?

Having just read "PalmettoBug's" excellent article on the oldest Lodge in the Western Hemisphere, I'd like to know from our members how much they know about their Lodge.

Call it knowledge.

How old is your Lodge and what History is attached? If you don't know............ask the brethren in your Lodge.

Most of the members here are from USA, therefore I would have to venture to say, that there would be some very interesting history due to the fact that there were many Lodges and members at the time of the Civil War.  

I, for one, would be very keen to read and learn about the experiences of these Lodges.

Many of the Lodges established in the US were well in existence before the discovery of Australia which occurred in 1771. Palmetto's article related to Lodges formed in 1733/1734.

Kind of scares you huh?

 

My Lodge, is not an old Lodge and it was "Charted" in 1947 and currently there are 3 other Lodges that use the same building.  As for the history side........that's still being investigated, but I do know with certainty that the building has State Heritage accreditation, which means that there are very strict regulations as to what work can be done to the building and any work done must be in accordance with the period.

 

Edited by tm274 - March/17/2009 at 3:19am

The Carrington Lodge (WAC 363) was consecrated in 1998. A mere infant.

I'm pretty sure that the first Masonic Lodge in Western Australia, the Lodge of St John, dates back to 1843.

We have a number of Lodge histories in our GL Library, all written by enthusiastic Brethren. They make fascinating reading - let's not forget that their history is our history too.

S&F

Dave

Started in 1856 as Alma #39 of the Moderns. When the ancients and moderns amalgumated it was renumbered Alma #72. The name Alma came from the battle of Alma in the Crimean war, which some of the original members were in.

St. Alban Universal #233 was chartered in 2001, which makes us the youngest lodge in Maryland.  We're not even out of the high chair yet.

Lodge 45 in Pittsburgh - 1785, rechartered in 1787 after PA Grand Lodge was formed

Balmoral Lodge #185

Edited by garyoa1 - March/18/2009 at 12:57pm

I see some brothers from PA using the # sign in front of their Lodge number. Interesting bit of trivia. Did you know that the GLoPA frowns on using the # sign in front of their Lodge numbers? They recommend using No. instead.

Now that's interesting, Sphinx. Also interesting that when you click on a Lodge it shows it as No., not #. But when I was laying out our website I was told I must use No. and never #.  Ah, the mysteries of Masonry! :)

Instituted: October 11, 1965
Chartered: April 20, 1966 We split off from a lodge that grew too large (Hiram #40) and are dedicated to a very active Mason in the area, James B. Green.

Edited by Tarditi - March/18/2009 at 2:56pm

Originally posted by GAmastermason My lodge was chartered in October 1857. From the stories I have heard the building survived a F4 or F5 tornado that hit Gainesville and the downtown square where the original building was located in 1936. The building then burnt down in late 1950s. The lodge then supposedly met in the basement of a bank for several years then moved in its current building somewhere around 1960-63. I am not sure of the exact date.   The oldest lodge in Georgia is King Solomon's Lodge #1 in Savannah and it was started by Gen. Olgethorpe under direction of the United Grand Lodge of England until the Grand Lodge of Georgia was formed. It just celebrated its 275th year on Feb. 21, 2009.

My Lodge, Jeanie Ivory Martin Lodge No. 701 was Charted in August of 1978. This Lodge was started because some Brothers couldn't make the other lodge meetings held during the week due to work schedules. We meet on every 1st and 3rd Saturdays at 9:00am. Jessie Thompson,Jr. 1st WM, David Walls,Jr. 1st SW, Osbey Beck,Jr. 1st JW and Willie Patton, Jr. 1st Tyler(I guess it could of been a Jr. Lodge hehehe). All four were WMs and all four are still very active PM's.

Edited by upstateconnect - March/19/2009 at 8:43pm

I am working - though not at very steady pace - on the history of my Lodge. It was chartered in 1869 and I have laid eyes upon its first annual return to our Grand Lodge. Dues in those days were three dollars a year, which was big money back then. For example: $3 in 1913 (the furthest back the federal government's on line inflation calculator goes back) would be worth $64.30 today. The Lodge did not build its own Lodge Hall until 1965. Prior to that, the Lodge rented various spots over the years. Members of my Lodge were instrumental in founding our county almost ten years after the chartering of the Lodge and some of those same members formed the original commission of the county - which may explain why the Lodge met in the new (new in 1879) county courthouse on some occasions. I think we were part of that NCO (New County Order).

Chartered in 1852

Triluminar was chartered in 1819 in Va. It wasn't until after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on March sixth, 1871 that Triluminar moved under the jurisdiction of WVa. Our home of Jefferson county along with the State of Virginia held that the county belonged to Va and not West Va. We lost.