LAYING THE CORNERSTONE OF WOODLAND LODGE (193 BYRNE STREET)

In August of 1920 these three men (Brother Turner, Brother Luckie, and Brother Morin), got together in Brother Morin's house at 2902 Morrison (just on the opposite corner of the future site of the first Woodland Lodge).  In 1921 the men recruited over 70 Masons from surrounding Lodges to form the nucleus of the new Lodge, and formed the Woodland Masonic Building Assocation.  $3940 was pledged from these men, some paid in increments of $5 per month, which was a great deal of money back then.  Another $1525 was raised in the community by selling bricks. Woodland Lodge received their Charter from the Grand Lodge of Texas on December 9th 1921.  The first Note (loan) of $2500 was taken out for construction on March 15, 1922 from JL Jones of Houston (no interest charged).  A construction company was apparently hired in December of 1921 and supplies purchased.  The second note of $4200 was taken out with the Southern Building & Loan Assoc of Dallas, TX at 3% interest shortly there after.  The building was completed in late May of 1922.  The first Insurance Policy for the furniture and fixtures was secured on May 22, 1922.  A final loan of $3000 was provided by the State National Bank of Houston in June of 1922 for 90 days at an interest rate of 8%!  The source of this material are original documents including hand written letters and receipts that Brother James Carpenter found buried in our Tylers Closet.

---