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 Franklin
Lodge #5
5 Rainier Ave, Port Gamble, WA 98364 Home of the "Franklin Model" for Lodge Meetings |
This
Lodge's website is located here.
Here is general information about Franklin #5 in Port gamble: Franklin Lodge #5 is situated in the quaint and historical town or Port Gamble on No. 6 Rainer Street. Home of the Franklin Model for Lodge Meetings: Good Food, Strong Fellowship and SHORT MEETINGS. Home of: the Deep Fried Baloney Sandwich, the Apple Smoked Port Loin Sandwich and other assorted oddities. They meet on the 2nd Wednesday of every month except June when it is held on the Wednesday following the annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Washington. No official Lodge business is conducted prior to 7:30PM on the stated meeting night. There is a dinner at 6:30 PM prior to the stated meeting, unless otherwise announced on the Tri County Masons events Master Calendar. History
Eight Masons
met to constitute a Masonic Lodge in Teekalet (Port Gamble) Washington
Territory. These men were employees of the Puget Mill Company and also
some "seafaring men" that were in port. These founders of Masonry were
Henry K. White, a surveyor and member of Lapeer Lodge #54 of
Lapeer, Michigan; Cyrus Walker , a Surveyor and member of Sommerseath
Lodge #34 of Main; Oliver Hall, a Carpenter and a member of another
Lodge in Maine; John Webster, a Blacksmith and
member of Scriba Lodge #414 at Constantia, Oswego County, New York; J.P
Wilbur, Richard Carlton, A.W. Gove and John Y Wynn all seafaring men
who happened to be in the area.
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drawn up by these men was carried by canoe to Steilacoom Lodge for a
recommendation by that Lodge. The approval by Steilacoom Lodge #2 (then
#8 under the jurisdiction of Oregon) was made on June 2, 1858. The original plans called for the naming of the Lodge at Port Gamble, "Washington Lodge" the founders not knowing that a few months previously, a group of Masons at Vancouver had already banded together adopting this name. They therefore chose the name, "Franklin Lodge". The original plans also called for carrying the petition to the Oregon Grand Lodge at Astoria, Oregon in September after the signing in May 1858. There was a movement in Olympia at this time to organize the Grand Lodge of Free and aAccepted Masons of Washington Territory. The petitioners hearing of this plan, decided to wait until this new Grand Lodge was formed and therefore held up their petition until June 1858. This petition was then acted on by Steilacoom Lodge for presentation and recommendation to the newly formed Grand Lodge. The Grand Lodge of Washington Territory held its meeting on December 6, 1858. The constitution was drawn and accepted on December 8, 1858 at which time T.F. McElroy was appointed the First Grand Master of Masons of Washington Territory The Grand Master then issued Dispensation to Franklin Lodge at "Teekalet" (Port Gamble) Washington Territory, just 4 days after the journment of the Grand Lodge Sessions of December 9, 1858. The Dispensation is drafted December 13, 1858. The original Lodge meetings were held in a room above the then general store. The information for the years 1860 to 1868 were lost due to a fire that destroyed the building where the Lodge held its meetings. In 1869 W.M. Oliver Hall appointed a committee of three to meet with the officials of the Puget Mill Co. to select a plot of ground for building a "Temple" and also to arrange the legal processes involved. The new lodge was built in 1870. M.W. Bro. Granville O. Haller, Grand Master, visited the "Temple" in 1871 at which time he dedicated the building. This same "Temple" is still in use today by the brethren of Franklin Lodge #5. The type and style of the new building resembled the first general store where the first meetings were held. See links page. |
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