New Britain herald., 1923-11-01

-NAgF DIM Al4N DEAlLl III
2So feet deep. $50 feet wide and towe
upward zoo feet. The main masses o
the building will comprise a base II
which will be located the great Wash
ington Memorial hall, and Yariou
Masonic rooms where may be per
petuated in imperishabie form tn,
memory and achievements of the mel
whose distinguished services to Free
masonry merit particular and lasting
reward. The Memorial hall will be Al
imposing atrium, 10 feet wide and I OF
sect deep. IN it statue of Washing.
ton will be placed. This hall will be
| "a feet high, rising by cerestor,
above the surrounding portion of the
building. 1t will be fanked by great
Ionic columns 40 feet high and sur
rounded by a number of rooms de-
voted to Masonic interests above the
roof of which will be clerestory lights.
Six-Column Portico
| A six-column portico of pure Greek
Doric design forming the entrance TO
the building will be a marked con-
trast to the plain, unbroken walls of
the exterior of the Masonic rooms.
Above the massive base will rise n
tower-like structure of smaller dimen-
( sions. Directly above the Memorial
hall the second story of the tower will
form museum room for the prezer-
walton of relics of George Washington
and his time, As we'll as interesting
relics connected with Washin eton's
service as master of the Alexandria
Washington lodge. There will be T.
third level of slightly smaller dimen-
sions above the museum room and
above that an observation level with
structure little smaller in size from
which visitors will be able to view the
country from the cspitof buildings at
Washington to the Washington home
stead at Mount Vernon. Stately col.
onnades on all four sides of each of
these three levels forming the tower
IKE structure will add 10 the beauty
of the memorial. The architects arc
ifelme e. corhett,s New York, with s,
Eugene osgood Detroit. as consulting
architect. Olmsted Brothers Brook
line, Mass, arc the landscape archi-
tects with Carl Rust Parker in ssso.
citation.
The memorial is to he the center
and raiytng point for Masons Of the
United States and of other countries
in addition TO being the repository for
the many valuable relics OF George
washington which have been preserv-
ed by the Alexandria Washington
lodge. One of the most priced nos
sessions of the lodge is the famou.
Williams portrait of General Washing.
ton in Masonic regalia. Another ia tho
clock which was In Wsshirg,ons bod
chamber on the night Of his death.
The memorial building in which ,be
Washington relics will be preserved
hereafter rs the outsrowth of neces-
sity and vas no single individuals
idea' Many members OF the Masonic
order In the earlier days were priyi-
leged TO see the articles SO closely
associated with Washington in nos.
session OF the Alexandris Washing
ton lodge, but II was not until 1907
that the public generally was permit
ted to do go. Since then tho number
Of visitors has increased yearly,
gradually growing from 500 10 $4,000.
As the number OF visitors increased,
the demand for a nreproof structure
In which the Washington heirlooins
should be placed became more in
sistent, until finally the proposed
repository Was decided upon.
Shooters Hill, the site Of the me
was selected 90 II comma nd a
view Of the city Of Washington, of
Mount Vernon, Of Alexandria and of
All the country most frequented by !
George Washington,
Joined 40 Years Aro
LAYING of the corner stone ~ the |
memorial narkt the close Of TN I
years since George Washington ho.
anne a Mason. lie entered tho order |,
November 4, 1893. The Alexandria
Blue lodge. which VAS pri,ileged IN
I'D Nashlnston's name 70 tho name
" tho city 60 that II today is known
IS Alexandria Washington lodge. No.
-. held the first regular communica.
ton Of the Arst Masonic lodge IN
Alexandria on february 2s. 1858. ~
r'as instituted by the Provincial
Strand lodge of Pennsyl' snis, and .ss
Known as No. 80 Of that jurisdiction.
sensrai Washington vas elected an
ionorarr member shortly after his
eturn from the Revolutionary war. L
md hts fondness for the old institv- I,
ion Us evidenced by letter written II
o the lodge and still in It's possession. 4,
,fter the surrender 81 the Pennsyl-
anita warrant. application for = now
hartsr vas made 20 the Grand Lodge
4 Virginia and General Washington