Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-16

/ One OF the interesting preliminaries
| to the forthcoming centennial annlVeT-
sary celebration Of the Grand Lodge OF
Free and Accepted Masons of the DIS
trict Of Columbia is the publication
under the auspices Of the Grand Lodge
OF "A History Of the Grand Lodge and
| of Freemasonry in the District or Co.
lumbia''
| Through the courtesy Of the author.
Kenton y. Harper, present sraho
high priest of the Grand Royal Arch
Chapter. and Of the special committee
on publication Of the Grand Lodge, con
sisting OF Past Grand Master Lurtin
#. CHM, Past Grand High Priest
George r. Corson, and Grand secretary
Arvine W. Johnston. The Star is per-
mitted to publish in advance, for the
| information of the fraternity and otn-
from the work relating to the various
meeting places of the fraternity during
/ it's one hundred years OF existence tnal
| terminate February 10, 1911 ana
three-day celebration by the Grand
Lodge, according to the tentative pro
| gram agreed upon and already out
| lined in The Star.
| Owing to their length they VIII pc
| published in two installments. the second
of which will appear in next Sunday
Star.
Progress Shown by Homes.
| AS the manner in which a man is
| housed may usually be considered to
| measurably express the degree OF pros
perity he enjoys. so also is it possible to
accurately gauge the gain or loss. the
success or failure. of an organization DS
the character of it's homes. FreemasonIs
presents no exception to this rule. ana II.
the story of the many meeting places Oh
the craft in the District of Columbia our
ing the century just closed there hes SO
complete and clear history OF the ma
teriaI vicissitudes OF the fraternity as to
warrant the devotion of chapter TO SO
much of the subject as covers the perloo
from the beginning until the inauguratlon
of the movement which has resulted IN
the magnificent temple of today. paying
especial attention at this time TO those
buildings in which the Grand Lodge has
found a succession Of homes or has met
on emergent occasions, and glancing
hastily at the earlier subordinate lodge
buildings as they relate to the growth OF
the order.
The march of improvements has swept
away some few of these structures, yet
there remain a remarkable number-ver-
liable landmarks-which stand as mute
witnesses to the progress of F'reemasonry
in our midst and unfold a tale which he
that runs may read.
Net in Private Houses.
The earlier lodges of Georgetown are
known to have met in private houses,
but the first definite location Of a Ma
sonic lodge within the present limits OF
the District is that Of Federal Lodge. No.
Ii. of Maryland Oater No. of this juris-
diction), which in 1893 met in room spe-
- <nf
one Of the members, on New Jersey ave-
nue.. just south of the Capitol. and now
included in the site OF the House of Rep
resentatives Office building. In 1895. de-
string, a more central location, this lodge
moved to a small hotel, known as 1.-The
Little" on the north side of + street
near 14th northwest. where it found not
only quarters. for its meetings. but like
wise convenient refreshment. and where
it remained for about eight years.
Columbia, No. IS, OF Maryland 0ater
our No. -, which came into existence in
1902, and was largely composed OF Treas
ury employees. found temporary home
in building known as Lovells Hotel, on
Pennsylvania avenue between 14th and
18th streets northwest. but united in 1904
with Federal in the first Masonic build
ing enterprise in the District This con-
sisted of the purchase of part OF lot IA,
square 323. % by 80 feet. on 18th street
northwest just south of Pennsylvania
avenue and the erection thereon of a
two-story brick building. known as
Union Lodge Room" The second floor.
by stairway on the south side, was used
by Federal and Columbia for over twenty
years, and also by Lebanon after Its
birth. in 1911. Here. too, the Grand
Lodge, upon its formation, found home
for q number Of years.
Used for Other Purposes.
In addition to its Masonic use, the
building was the headquarters Of the
boards of aldermen and common coun-
ell, and also housed the old Washington
Library and Vine Lyceum Society. In
later years 1t was occupied by the colored
Masons, and within a comparatively few
years was demolished to make room for
the new city post Office. Some idea Of
the condition of affairs in the city In the
early days may be gathered from the
fact that in 1924 Washington Royal Arch
Chapter, No. /, took steps to induce the
other Masonic bodies meeting in the
building to join with 1t in causing to
be made a gravel footway from this hall
east to the middle Of nth street and
north to the south side OF Pennsylvania
Washington Naval Lodge. No. Al. OF
Maryland (how our local No. ~, which
was warranted in 1905, found rented
quarters on 9TH street southeast, near
two-story brick, somewhat modernized
exteriorily. still stands and is occupied as
a dwelling known as 1129 It'll street
southeast, and is fair sample of the
honest. sturdy workmanship Of the early
part of the last century. The upper floor
was used for strictly lodge purposes and
the lower as a school. the school teacher,
frequently the widow or orphan child of
a deceased Mason, attending to the care
of the lodgeroom in lieu of rent.
Fire Destroyed Landmark.
The Georgetown lodge. reviving in 1906
under the style and title of Potomac. No.
43, of Maryland, located in the residence
of Valentine Rented, the master. and
afterward the first grand master of the
District, a three-story brick dwelling on
the west side of Jefferson street be-
tween the canal and Water street. This
landmark was destroyed by fire in 1857.
The growth of the lodge in a few years
demanding more commodious quarters.
oyertures were made to the corporation
Of Georgetown looking to a joint erection
at Market space Of q building which
~,;~h< savx,o a fOvrn h0nSo and Masonic