Early Days: Pre-1900
On February 28, 1891, Bro. F. M. Robinson and six other Master Masons who were members of Tuality Lodge No. 6 at Hillsboro, Oregon, applied to the Grand Lodge for a Dispensation to form a Lodge at Beaverton. Beaverton Lodge No. 100, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, was granted its Charter on June 11, 1891, just nine days after the Grand Lodge of Oregon’s Annual Communication.
On June 23, 1891 a meeting was held for the purpose of electing officers as follows:
- Worshipful Master – F. M. Robinson
- Senior Warden – George W. Stitt
- Junior Warden – Thomas E. Tucker
- Treasurer – William Tucker
- Secretary – C. W. Allen
- Junior Deacon – J. N. Fisher
- Tyler – William L. Pike
These men were installed on July 18, 1891 by the acting Grand Lodge officers to officially constitute Beaverton Lodge.
The first petition was received on June 30, 1891, and on August 4, E. J. Thomas was balloted upon, elected and became the first man to have the Entered Apprentice Degree conferred upon him in the new Beaverton Lodge. Before year’s end two more petitions were received; one, James C. Stitt, for degrees and one, Charles Collins, for affiliation. The Master Mason Degree was conferred upon Brother Thomas on December 1, 1891.
The Fire and The Scandal: 1894-1908
The first meetings were held upstairs in Squires building which was located on the northwest corner of Hall Street and Hamilton Avenue (now Broadway). On August 13, 1894, tragedy struck when a fire broke out at the nearby saloon and quickly spread to Squires building. Beaverton Lodge lost everything except the Charter, which was not in the Lodge room at the time, having been taken home by the Worshipful Master, A. B. Cady, who took literally the charge that “the Charter must in no case ever be out of your immediate control.” After the fire, Lodge meetings moved to Beaverton Hall, later called Grange Hall.
The early 1900s started off with a scandal, as in 1907 Brother A. Rossi was brought up on charges of un-Masonic conduct for “owning and operating an Liquor Saloon.” Though the ensuing Masonic trial resulted in the dismissal of the charges by a single vote. The Grand Lodge heard an appeal on the matter and, during which Brother Rossi admitted that he did, indeed, own such a saloon. The Grand Master arrested the charter of Beaverton Lodge and ordered all Lodge property forfeited to the Grand Secretary in March 1908.
Fourteen members petitioned the Grand Lodge for return of the Beaverton Lodge Charter and property. The newly installed Grand Master, E. E. Kiddle, recorded what happened next:
On August 30, the R. W. Grand Secretary and myself talked with nearly all of the signers of the petition and found them to be very penitent. They acknowledged that the Grand Lodge was perfectly justified in the action taken and they were unanimous in the belief that if their Charter and Property were restored to them they could once more build up a Lodge which would be a credit to the Fraternity. I took the matter under advisement at the time and on October 17, 1908, I again visited Beaverton and restored their Charter and Property.
Settling In: 1911-1945
In 1911 a committee was appointed to look into the matter of building a Temple and the first Building Association was incorporated. They purchased a piece of property on Farmington Road near Watson, but never built on it. The Building Association later sold that property. The Lodge continued to meet at the Hall. In 1927, the Lodge began fundraising for building a Temple and held several events for that purpose. Construction would not begin for another 12 years.
Throughout the early 20th century, the Lodge’s presence in the community continued to grow. In 1912 Beaver Chapter No. 106, Order of the Eastern Star was charted. In 1921 the Lodge sold its first Life Membership. 1924 saw the institution of a Past Master’s Night, set aside to honor all Past Masters, which continued as an annual tradition for decades.
Construction on the current Masonic building, located at 2nd and Watson began in 1939 at a cost of $17,000 for material. The property was donated to the Lodge by the widow of the same A. Rossi who, 30 years earlier got the Lodge in so much trouble with his Liquor Saloon! All the labor, except the plumbing, was volunteer. On September 7, 1939 the first meeting was held in the building. In 1945 the mortgage on the building was down to $300 and the Brethren took up a special collection to pay it off.
Growth and Decline: 1950-2000
In 1951, a new elementary school was built in the Beaverton School District and named after one of the Lodge’s members, Dr. C. E. Mason, in honor of his service to the district and the community. The Grand Master laid the cornerstone on May 19th, 1951. A time capsule was included, which was later opened in 2019, when construction began on the new Arts and Communication Magnet Academy, which began operations in the building 1992.
Lodge membership continued to grow throughout the mid-twentieth century, with a record 27 Master Mason degrees conferred during 1952. In 1954 some members spun off to form a new Lodge in Beaverton, Meridian No. 217. The Lodge’s involvement with schools in Beaverton continued to grow through the 1950s and 1960s, as they hosted eighth-grade graduation parties and began offering scholarships to students from Beaverton and Sunset high schools for studying in the field Education at a college in Oregon.
In 1974, after 20 years of operation, Meridian 217 was consolidated into Beaverton 100. In 1976, to help celebrate the nation’s Bi-Centinnial, the Beaverton area had, among other things, a parade. Beaverton Lodge participated by having a float drawn by horses.
Since the mid-1970s, Freemasonry overall has seen a decline in membership as many in the Boomer generation opted not to join the same social and community organizations to which their fathers and grandfathers belonged. Beaverton Masonic Lodge is no exception, though it has fared better than some Lodges in the area. It continues to add new members every year, though at a slower pace than its heyday in the 1950s. The Lodge has found new ways to stay engaged with the community, including offering the social hall for rent to outside groups. It has been host to wedding receptions, Quinceaneras, theater performances, and more.
A New Era: 2000-present
In the 2020s, the Lodge remains a vibrant community of men seeking to better themselves and their community.
We invite men who share our values of integrity, community service, and personal growth to explore Freemasonry with us. Join us in continuing a legacy that spans over a century.
