On the corner of Fifth Avenue and Dayton Street, old-time history and modern-day appeal collide with the Red Twig Cafe and the closed Old Milltown Mall standing at opposite corners.
Just a little further up Dayton, however, stands an Edmonds fixture that continues to serve goodwill throughout the community: the Edmonds Masonic Lodge, home of Free and Able Masons No. 165.
On Saturday, July 26, members of Lodge No. 165, along with members of the Grand Lodge of Washington State, celebrated the building’s 100th birthday with a Centennial Reconstitution of the Lodge’s Charter, repeating the traditions and ceremonies of the local fraternity’s founding members in 1908.
Edmonds Mayor Gary Haakenson was on hand to congratulate the organization and proclaim the day as the Lodge’s 100th anniversary.
“They operate with relative anonymity, yet they do such great things in the community,” Haakenson said. “I urge all citizens to congratulate the members of this historical organization for reaching this noteworthy milestone.”
The lodge, formerly the Edmonds Opera House, was built in 1908 by the Yost family.
The Masons, at the time led by Worshipful Master Harry W. Hall, conducted their business in the Oddfellows Hall just a couple blocks away, according to current Worshipful Master Roger A. Barnstead.
Prior to its dedication as a Masonic Lodge in 1950, the building served as an auditorium, movie house, roller skating rink, basketball court, dance floor, bowling alley and banquet hall. The Masons began construction of an addition to the rear of the building and other minor construction improvements in 1948, the building’s only renovation, according to Secretary Thomas Stone.
“We love this building,” Barnstead said. “It’s got character and style. It’s definitely a venerable part of the neighborhood.”
Barnstead, an Alaska resident stationed as a local active member of the US Coast Guard, finds the thought of being the Lodge’s master during the centennial a surreal experience.
“It’s an honor I never thought would happen,” he said. “Four years ago I came (to Washington), I walked into this lodge and these brothers brought me in, and now here I am.”
During its stay in Edmonds, Lodge No. 165 has been responsible for several community events, including meals for local public safety, contributions to local historical society, working at the South County Senior Center and college scholarships for local high school students.
Mayor Haakenson’s sons received scholarships from the Lodge in 1993 and 1995.
“They aren’t here right now, but they wanted me to thank you all,” he said, addressing the Lodge members during the Reconstitution ceremony.
After his speech, the mayor continued to praise the Lodge’s long-standing history as a beacon of generosity in the Edmonds community.
“This town is around 119 years old, and this building has been here for 100 of them,” he said. “That, to me, serves as a constant; a constant reminder of what they mean to this town and what they will represent for years to come.”
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