Port Tampa Lodge Building History
Hall of Port Tampa Lodge U.D.
- 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.
