Originally published to facebook.com/NorthPlattePL on August 12, 2022.
Welcome back to another Facebook Friday History!
Today’s Facebook Friday History looks at a fraternal organization—The freemasons or the Order of Free and Accepted Masons; specifically, the building where the members met, namely, the Masonic Temple.
From Britannica.com: Freemasonry is the teachings and practices of the fraternal order of Free and Accepted Masons. They are the largest worldwide secret society—an oath-bound society, often devoted to fellowship, moral discipline, and mutual assistance. They conceal, at least some of its rituals, customs, or activities from the public (secret societies do not necessarily conceal their membership or existence). In 1717, the first Grand Lodge, an association of lodges, was founded in England.
But let’s come back to North Platte and look at the history of our local Masonic Lodge. The following information is taken from the book “City Bones: Landmarks of North Platte, Nebraska, Second Edition” by Kaycee Anderson and Steve Olson. Published by the Lincoln County Historical Museum. 2012.
The local Masonic Lodge was chartered at Cottonwood Springs near Fort McPherson on November 15, 1869. The Platte Valley Lodge No. 32 Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons met above Charles McDonald’s store in a room that was only 24 by 24 feet in size. They spent $60 dollars to furnish the room and had a grand total of five members present at the first meeting. Soon others joined, including Charles McDonald, Dr. F. N. Dick and Eugene A. Carr. Buffalo Bill was also an early member, initiated into the Platte Valley Lodge No. 32 on March 5, 1870.
Not everyone was happy with the lodge. Colonel W.H. Emery, commander of the Fifth U. S. Cavalry, stationed at Fort McPherson, was opposed to the lodge and worked against the group by punishing officers and enlisted men who wanted to join. He kept his tirade up until the Masons thought it would be best if they moved away from the fort.
In 1872, a two story frame building was erected on the corner of 5th and Dewey streets, at a cost of $2,600. The funds for the project were raised by selling each Mason a $50 share. This site almost became an Episcopalian church, but Major William Woodhurst made a trip to Omaha to buy the property before the Church could. In this building, before the county courthouse was erected, the bottom floor was used by the county as a courtroom and offices for county business.
The Lodge soon saw the need for a more permanent and larger building. Plans started coming together in January 1900. However, the second temple was not begun until 1907. The second temple was completed on February 22, 1908 at the same location. The North Platte Telegraph called it, “The largest and most imposing single structure, with the exception of the high school building, in the city.” The ground floor was occupied by the Wilcox Department Store, while the second floor contained a banquet hall, reading and lodge rooms, a cloak room, and a kitchen.
By 1929 there was a need for more space, so a third floor was added including two elevators, one for freight and one for passengers. The dedication for the third floor was held on February 22, 1930, the twenty-second anniversary of the original opening. The addition brought a large meeting room and an expanded cloak room. The meeting room had a staircase that entered into the banquet hall on the north side, giving more access to the many rooms.
The old lodge remains as it was left twenty years ago. The temple area has seats on risers along the north and south walls. Only the Grand Master’s chair at the head of the temple and the shield which hung on the wall are missing. The banquet hall and the stage area are in excellent condition with wonderful wood floors that shine when the sunlight pours through the original box windows. The only damage noted is some water damage in the back of the temple area, a damaged wall sconce, one broken pane of glass in the French doors leading to the banquet hall, and water damaged floors in the cloak room. Visitors can still see the indentations in the carpet where the couches once sat in the lobby.
Today, the current Masonic Temple sits at the corner of McDonald and B Streets. They moved to the McDonald location in 1987. The organization remains an active chapter.
Thank you for reading! See you next week!
