MAFallRiver
FALL RIVER
LODGES
- King Philip Lodge, from 1866 to the present.
- Massasoit Lodge, from 1915 to its merger with Narragansett Lodge in 1976.
- Massasoit-Narragansett Lodge, from 1976 to the present.
- Mount Hope Lodge, from 1824 to the present.
- Narragansett Lodge, from 1875 to its merger with Narragansett Lodge in 1976.
- Watuppa Lodge, from 1926 to the surrender of its charter in 2002.
BUILDINGS
- 05/22/1885: 1885-27; Dedication of Masonic Hall, Special Communication.
- 05/06/1922: 1922-112; Corner-stone laying, at a Special Communication; see below.
- 10/06/1923: 1923-360; Hall dedication, at a Special Communication.
- 06/20/1981: 1981-71; Hall dedication, at a Special Communication.
CORNER STONE LAYING, MAY 1922
From New England Craftsman, Vol. XVII, No. 7, May 1922, Page 234:
After a parade in which approximitely 2,500 local Masons took part, Most Worshipful Arthur D. Prince of Lowell, Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts, superintended the ceremonies attending the laying of the corner stone of the new Masonic Temple, on the afternoon of Saturday, May 6th, at North Main and Elm Streets, Fall River, Mass.
At the head of the parade, as an escort to the four local Blue lodges and the Grand lodge, were Godfrey De Bouillon Commandery of Knights Templars, Sutton commandery of New Bedford and Washington commandery of Newport.
After spreading the first trowelfui of cement at the base of the stone, the grand master called upon the masters of the four local lodges to do likewise. They were Benjamin Barnes of Mt. Hope lodge, George B. Lovell of King Philip Lodge, Arthur B. Hatch of Narragansett Lodge and Herbert A. Sullivan of Massasoit Lodge. Robert N. Hathaway one of the two surviving members of the Masonic Hall Association who were present at the laying of the corner stone of the old temple on June 23, 1884, spread the sixth trowelful, and Joseph T. Turner, president of the association and chairman of the building committee, spread the seventh.
During the ceremonies a Masonic choir ol 34 voices sang, accompanied by a Masonic band of 200 pieces. Grand Master Prince concluded the exercises with an address, in which he described similar ceremonies from the early ages to the present day.
The Grand Master was assisted by Grand Marshal Frank W. Dobson, and was accompanied by these officers: Deputy Grand Master Claude L. Allen of Melrose; Senior Grand Warden, Herbert W. Dean of Cheshire; junior grand warden, Olin D. Dickerman of Abington; Grand Treasurer, Charles H. Ramsay o! Cambridge; Grand Secretary, Frank E. Swam of Swampscott; Senior Grand Deacon, Harry A. Thompson of Lowell; Junior Grand Feacon. Arthur L. Beales of Brockton; Senior Grand Steward, Charles Dennee of Brookline; Junior Grand Steward, Winthrop J. Cushing of Hingham; Grand Sword Bearer, Frank H. Hilton of Belmont; Grand Tyler, George W. Chester of Boston; past Junior Grand Warden, Charles S. Proctor of Lowell; past Junior Grand Warden William Ridings of Fall River; D. D. G. Master of the 28th District, Arthur C. Staples of Taunton; of the 30th District, Stephen H. Taylor of New Bedford; of the 31st District, Stephen W. Luce of Vineyard Haven.
