The Dolores star., 1924-02-22

plainly visible from Washington
Moreover, Alexandria,. like Mount Vernon Is so
closely associated with George Washington that
the several memorials of the Potomac Valley seem
parts of harmonious whole
IN the near future there will he six Of these
Observation-Disclosures City Itself; the Washing.
ton Monument; Mount Vernon, with Its sacred
tomb; the National Cathedral on Mount St AIban
which George Washington specifically provided for
In his directions to Major LEnfant when he md
the young French engineer laid out Washington
In 1I9O; the George Washington National AudI.
torum, 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 n,
human being. And this s4.OOOOOO Masonic Me-
mortal Is by no means the least OF these Here 1,
Its purpose:
The George Washington Masonic National me.
inston. the Mason Its form msTn is in.
soms to marx The "s snsrsnsss snsasss
s asp. burning xs.s arss ,hs. ms.
Of the memorn Ga ss The
s5ss the F1a!HE :e5, SSa
time T set an example by which the ship Of state
II will be indeed a landmark and the good Amor
lean may catch afar Its pharos glow For II will
rise 200 feet high from Shooters Hill on the Ar
ilneton Ridge From n distance ii will appear 40
Il massive and lofty tower rising from a terroced
verdUre-clad base. From Its topmost coIonpod.
the visitor may view the Potomac Valley fror,
Washington to Mount Vernon. in which Washington
passed most of his life. Indeed the thIrty-tyo
acres OF It's grounds were owned by Wush-
ingtUn himself.
The corter stone OF this Masonic Memorial and
shrine for American Freemasonry was laid last
fall. President Coolidge, though not a Mason
spread the first mortar with the trowe used by
George Washington September 49, 1793 in nying
the corner stone OF the capitol building at Wash
ington. Members Of the cabinet, official person
ages, Masonic dgnitaries and army of repre-
sentatlves 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 l77S. shortly after the np-
pcntion for charter had been made to the grand
lodge in Vrgniu. Upon the walls OF the lodge
still hangs the document containing his nnme
signed by Edmund Randolph, governor of Virginia
He served master for twenty months being
reelected to succeed himself. But for years prior
to that time he Ind been associated with the lodge
and had been elected as honorary member shortly
after his return from the Revolution when The
lodge was within the jurisdiction Of the provincial
grand lodge OF Pennsylvania
After Washlngtons 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 many me-
mentoes OF the public and private life of the first
president, and by Inheritance tradition and afia-
tIon 1t is peculiarly equipped to have inaugurnted
the movement for the memorial.
disastrous fire. however occurred in May.
1871. in which were lost many valuable relics
socated with the generals public career with his
contacts with notable men of the day and with
his fnmily life.
Although Alexandria came into possession OF the
Confederate forces during the Civil war, article
touched. For forty years thereafter the col
lection closed to the public. But in 1907 the
display placed under the custody Of n 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
Tor the Alexandria w ashlngton Lodge Museum.