Love of Masonry and lack of
adequate transportation may truly be said to have caused the formation
of Elizabeth lodge No. 34. In 1885, Atlantic City, County of
Norfolk, in the Commonwealth of Virginia, was a sparsely populated
community. Its boundaries were, roughly, the Elizabeth River on
the west and south, The Hague and Olney Road on the east and Claremont
Avenue on the north.
As time advanced the area of Atlantic City was annexed by the City of
Norfolk. About 1956, Atlantic City was demolished and today the
Medical Tower now stands near the center of "Old Atlantic City".
In 1885, there was no public method of transportation that connected
with a short horse-car line whose terminus was at Bute and Botetourt
Streets. These facts along with a sincere desire to promote
fraternal intercourse compelled a small group of Master Masons, all of
whom resided in the area, to request a Dispension from the Grand Lodge
of Virginia, A.F.&A.M. to organize a new Masonic Lodge.
A petition for Dispension was presented to Grand Lodge under the date
of January 23rd, 1886, and appears to have been signed in the personal
handwriting of the following brethren: James E. Wright,
Worshipful Master; C. Brooks Johnson, Senior Warden; Henry H.
Hostetter, Junior Warden; Alexander Winder, Albert B. Heistand, Thomas
E. Lee, Henry E. Irby, and Thomas Nottingham.
On March 16th, 1883, Francis H. Hill, Grand Master, it being noted that
the Dispensation was granted for “Good and Sufficient
Reason”, granted
the Dispensation.
At that time, permission was granted by the Grand Lodge "to act on
petitions without awaiting the time prescribed by law,” The
permission
was also granted to six other new lodges but denied to four or five
others.
The Dispensation, having been granted, much work was at hand to prepare
for the first meeting. The necessary equipment had to be procured
and the Lodge room made ready for occupancy. The Brethren who
were assisted in no small degree by their good wives accomplished this.
On March 18th, 1886, under Dispensation, this lodge held its first
regular communication. Those present were J.E. Wright, Worshipful
Master; C. B. Johnson, Senior Warden; H. H. Hostetter; Junior Warden;
G.W. Face, Treasurer; Alexander Winder, Secretary; A. B. Heistand,
Senior Deacon; T. E. Lee, Junior Deacon, and John Garley, acting
Tiler. At the first meeting the petitions of R. F. Cleverly, F.
Colenda, Allen A. Bacon, W.E. Godwin, C. L. cone, C. E. Minter, and
Augustus Miller were received. All of whom in due course were
raised to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason. In subsequent
years, many more petitions were received. Many of whom were
seafaring men as noted in the Grand Lodge Proceedings of 1888.
Robert S. Grand, District Deputy Grand Master of the 11th Masonic
District, of which Norfolk was then a part, made the following report
to Grand Lodge: "Elizabeth Lodge, under dispensation, is well officered
and their work regular and from records you will see that their lodge
has made great progress." He therefore recommended that the
charter be granted.
On Tuesday, December 14th, 1886, a charter was granted by the Grand
Lodge of Virginia A.F.&A.M., signed by William F. Drinkard, Grand
Master. Tuesday, therefore, seems to be an appropriate day on
which to hold our communications.
Henry Hodges, Distr5ict Deputy Grand Master, duly instituted Elizabeth
Lodge No. 34, A.F.&A.M. on February 1, 1887.
The first meetings of Elizabeth Lodge No. 34 were held in a room over a
hall owned by Bro. Dr. A. M. Heistand adjoining his drug store on then
corner of Front and Second Streets. The lodge remained at that
location until November 1, 1887, at which time, it was moved to the
International Order of Odd fellows Hall, often referred to as the
Redman’s Hall on the corner of Camp Avenue and Poole
Street. The
lodge remained at this site until the latter part of 1917.
The Lodge prospered at the Odd Fellows Hall and in December of 1916 the
membership had grown to 135, a gain of 14 from the preceding
year. The dues were $6.00 per annum; there was a fee of $10.00
for each degree. The Tilers compensation was $42.00 per year and
the Secretary's salary was $60.00 per year. The rent and phone
were $32.00 per quarter.
The lodge having prospered and grown to a membership of 135, the
necessity of finding larger and more suitable quarters presented
itself. A committee was appointed to "look into the advisability
of moving to the Temple at Brewer and Freemason Streets."
Successful negotiations were made with other lodges in the temple, and
on September 4th, 1917, the lodge voted 32 for and 5 against to move to
the Temple at Brewer and Freemason streets. The Worshipful Master
accordingly announced that the next meeting for Elizabeth Lodge would
be held in the Masonic temple in the city of Norfolk, VA. The
first meeting held at this location was on September 18th, 1917.
During these early years, Elizabeth Lodge gained the respect of and
fully cooperated with the other lodges. It gained the reputation
of being strict, but fair and charitable.
In 1921, it appointed a committee to work with other loges in
establishing a much needed Masonic School of Instruction.
Transportation having vastly improved, a more central location with
adequate parking and larger lodge rooms was desirable. On January
1, 1947, the following resolution was adopted: Resolve that the
Masonic Building Corporation of Norfolk be and is herby designated to
act as the agent for Elizabeth Lodge No. 34 in the selection of a site
and the erection of a new Masonic temple.
This board, on February 3rd, 1948 recommended a site at the corner of
Granby and Brackenridge Avenue and met with architects on June 6th,
1948 to discuss plans. On March 1st, 1949 Elizabeth Lodge
unanimously passed a resolution to assign to the board of trustees of
the Masonic temple corporation of Norfolk, all rights, title, and
interest in and to the furniture, carpet, fixtures, and other property,
excluding jewels, aprons, etc. Finally on June 1st, 1954, it was
announced that contracts had been let and ground breaking for the new
temple would be on Wednesday, June 16th, 1954 at 5:30 pm. The
cornerstone of the present Temple was laid by the Grand Lodge officers
on October 10th, 1954.
The Brethren of Elizabeth Lodge have ever enjoyed a closer fellowship
than the average lodge, rejoicing in each other’s prosperity and
standing together in adversity.
