This Lodge was formally instituted on Apr 23rd, A.D. 1896 A.L. 5896 by the reading of a Dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Florida, made out in regular order & signed by James W. Boyd, G.M. and W. P. Wesbster, G. Secy., naming the following officers:
Br. H. C. Steele W.M.
Br. N.H. Fogg S.W.
Br. F.M. Cooper J.W.
The Lodge proceeded to fill the other officers by election as follows:
Br. B. Garcia Treas.
Br. Lott Allen Secy. (acting)
The other officers were filled by appointment as follows:
Br. H.J. Kand S.D.
Br. S. Mattar J.D.
Br. M.C. McClure Tyler (acting)
Members:
Br. Sawyer
Visiting Bros.
Br. J.C. Bowden, Chipco #126, Fla.
Masonic Lodge No. 153, F.& A.M., was instituted on April 23, 1896.
Early meetings were held in the Opera Lodge Hall and then in the Knights of Pythias Building at the corner of S. Kissimmee Street & W. Ingram Street. The Knights of Pythias, Gulf Lodge #48, had been chartered on March 20, 1896. They met in the Opera Lodge Hall until it burned down in 1908 or 1910.
The present building opened in 1946.
Port Tampa Lodge No. 153 was Chartered 9 months later, on January 20, 1897.