The Holly chieftain., 1924-02-21

plainly visible from Washington
Moreover Alexandria, like Mount Vernon ia so
closely associated with George Washington that
the several memorials of the Potomac Valley seem
parts OF a harmonious whole,
In the future there will be six of these
memorlals-Washington City itself; the Washing.
ron Monument; Mount Vernon, with its sacred
tomb; the National Cathedral on Mount st Albon.
which George Washington specifically provided for
IN his directions to Major L'Enfant when he and
the young French engineer laid out Washington
In 1880; the George Washington National Audi
forum, of which the foundations are completed
and the George Washington National Masonic Me.
mortal. Nowhere in the world is such a collection
OF truly magnificent memorials to the memory of
human being. And this S4OOOOOO Masonic Me-
mortal Is by no means the least of these Here {,
its purpose:
The, The George Washington Masonic National me-
and the to is asGsEs foFm Waih s h
ds of aed Ro 70 built in the
to their harbors and from whose SUBMITS perma
eon'f ON his Be wsy rSs % miles mile,
large FudnE washington 'hs stsfes MSsld
set an Example By wheP the whs b f 70. an
may direct Its course S"'p "a STATE
1t will be indeed landmark and the good Amer
lean may catch afar its pharos glow. For 1t will
rise 200 feet high from Shooters Hill on tho =
, lington Ridge. From distance it will apnear .s
massive and lofty tower rising from terraced.
verdure-clad base From its topmost colonnade
> the visitor may view the Potomac Valley from
Washington to Mount Vernon, in which Washington
passed most Of his life. Indeed the thirty-two
acres of Its grounds were once owned by WASH
ington himself
The corner stone of this Masonic Memorial and
shrine for American Freemasonry was laid last
pl President Coolidge, though not Mason,
>read the first mortar with the trowel used by
orge Washington September 18, 1888 in laying
corner stone of the capitol building at Wash
4gton Members Of the cabinet, official person.
ages. Masonic dignitaries and army of repre-
sentatves Of Masonic organizations throughout
the country participated in elaborate ceremonies.
Rt Rev. James Edward Freeman, Episcopal bishop
of Washington, delivered eulogy to the nations
first president
George Washington became charter member
of Alexandria Lodge in 177s. shortly after the ap-
plicaton for charter had been made to the grand
lodge in Virginia. Upon the walls of the lodge
still hangs the document containing his name,
signed by Edmund Randolph governor Of Virginia
He served as master for twenty months, being
, reelected to succeed himself. But for years prior
to that time he had been associated with the lodge
and had been elected honorary member shortly
. after his return from the Revolution, when the
lodge was within the Jurisdiction of the provincial
grand lodge of Pennsylvania.
After Washlngton's death numerous relics many
of which have been associated with his Masonic
| life, passed into possession Of the lodge.
II has been the great pride Of the Alexandria
Washington Lodge to have assembled so many me-
mentoes of the public and private life of the first
president, and by inheritance. tradition and afila-
ton 1t Is peculiarly equipped to have inaugurated
. the movement for the memorial.
VA disastrous fire, however. occurred in May.
1S71 in which lost many valuable relics as
Blociated with the generals public career with his
contacts with notable men Of the day and with
his family life.
Although Alexandria came into possession of the
Confederate forces during the Civil war, article
was touched. For forty years thereafter the col
lection was closed to the public. But in 1907 the
display was placed under the custody of member
of the lodge and thrown open to the public. In
1919 the city council of Alexandria set apart the
entire third story of the west wing Of the city hall
,,fUr the Alexandria Washington Lodge Museum.