Stonington Lodge #503 

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A Brief History of Stonington

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The following is a condensed version of the research done by Worshipful Brother Richard E. Berry for the 100 year ceremony of Stonington Lodge. The original is about 12 pages long, and covers in detail many of the milestones in Stonington history. Anyone wishing to read the original, I will send one attached On April 17, 1875, sixteen Master Masons gathered in the office of the Worthing Stone Company and decided to petition the Grand Lodge of Ohio for a dispensation. The petition was signed , and on June 15 of the same year, the sixteen Master Masons met at their hall in the Nicholl Building at the corner of Tenney Ave. and Main St. The dispensation was presented by Rt. Worshipful Brother C. A. Woodward, Deputy Grand Master, to be in effect until the Grand Lodge meeting at Columbus, Ohio on the 19th day of October, 1875.

On November 2nd, 1875, a regular communication was held, All officers appointed under dispensation presiding, along with eight regular members and six visiting members. At this meeting the Grand Lodge of Ohio was present and opened lodge in a room adjacent to the lodge. The Grand Lodge was then called in and saluted with Grand Honors. Then the Grand Lodge received the Jewels and took the several stations of the lodge. The Grand Master ordered the Charter read by the Grand Secretary. After the Charter was read the Grand Master constituted Stonington Lodge #503. The Grand Master proceeded to install the officers the same as were appointed under Dispensation. The lodge was closed in due form and harmony.

On November 22, 1910, under dispensation, the lodge moved from the old hall to a new one over the German bank.

A special meeting was called on July 20th, 1926, to hear a report from the committee on finding a new meeting hall and to reach an agreement with the German Bank Company on the balance of the lease. A motion was passed to lease the Ehrman Hall for 5 years. (the Ehrman hall was in the Reddington building) The first meeting in the new lodge in the Ehrman Hall was on October 12, 1926.

On December 9th, 1952, a down payment of $2,000 was made on the property owned by the St. Paul Lutheran Church, located at the corner of Franklin and West street. The last meeting held at Ehrman Hall was on January 31, 1953, and the first meeting at the newly purchased hall was held on February 10th, of the same year. The lodge met under dispensation in the undedicated hall for about 3 years, while the old church building was remodeled and an addition built for a new Lodge Room. The new addition was completed in 1956 with most of the work being done by the members of Stonington Lodge. The first meeting in the Temple as it stands today, was held on April 19, 1956, and was attended by 197 brethren.

During the sixties, the social rooms were remodeled, and in 1971, the carpet was replaced as well as theater seats from one of the closed movie theaters in Lorain. And finally in 1974 the Lodge room was remodeled and redecorated, which is the way it is at present., which is the way it is at present.

Copyright © 2007, Stonington Lodge #503

All Rights Reserved.