Benevolent Lodge No. 3, F. & A. M. - Milledgeville, GA
Posted by: 
Thorny1
N 33° 04.885 W 083° 13.620
17S E 292132 N 3662518
Located at the corner of North Wayne and East Hancock Streets in Milledgeville, Ga. this Masonic Temple was built in 1834.
Waymark Code: WM4GAX
Location: Georgia, United States
Date Posted: 08/21/2008
Views: 44
from marker placed on the corner of the bldg)
MASONIC TEMPLE OF BENEVOLENT LODGE NO. 3, F.&A.M.
THIS IS THE OLDEST MASONIC BUILDING IN GEORGIA WITH CONTINUOUS USAGE SINCE ITS DEDICATION ON JUNE 24, 1834. FUNDED THROUGH A STATE AUTHORIZED LOTTERY AND CONSTRUCTED BY JOHN MARLOW (ALSO ONE OF THE ARCHITECTS WITH SAMUEL TUCKER AND JAMES DOYLE), THIS GEORGIAN STYLE BUILDING WAS AMONG THE MORE ELEGANT STRUCTURES IN ANTEBELLUM GEORGIA. IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE EARLIER MASONRY STRUCTURES WEST OF THE OCONEE RIVER.
THE GRAND LODGE OF GEORGIA MET HERE ANNUALLY FROM DECEMBER 1834 THROUGH THE 1845 SESSION WHEN ITS SITE WAS MOVED TO MACON. DURING RECONSTRUCTION THE BUILDING HOUSED THE OFFICE OF THE FREEDMAN'S BUREAU AND ITS GROUND FLOOR WAS HEADQUARTERS OF THE LOCAL MILITARY GARRISON.
THIS BUILDING WAS BUILT FOR THE MASONIC USE OF BENEVOLENT LODGE NUMBER 3, F. & A. M.; TEMPLE CHAPTER NUMBER 6, R. A. M AND GEORGIA COUNCIL NUMBER 4, R. & S. M.
MARKER PLACED BY
THE EDUCATIONAL AND HISTORICAL COMMISSION
GRAND LODGE OF GEORGIA, F. & A. M. 1980
(from website)
Benevolent Lodge No. 3 has a long and prestigious history here in Milledgeville, Georgia. In 1827 the Benevolent Lodge was No. 9 in the list of Georgia Lodges. In December of 1829 the Grand Lodge constitution was amended and Benevolent Lodge No. 9 became No. 6 on the list until November 17, 1938 when the number was changed to No. 3.
In 1827 there were two Blue Lodges in Milledgeville, Benevolent No. 9 and Fraternal No. 20. In October of 1828, by mutual agreement of both Lodges, they merged into one, Benevolent No. 9.
In November of 1828 it was decided by the Lodge members to undertake the raising of funds to build a Masonic Hall by lottery. At the time the Lodge met in the Darien Bank Building. The State authorized the Lodge to raise, by lottery, the sum of $25,000 for construction of the Masonic Hall in the town of Milledgeville on December 9, 1828.
The cornerstone for the Masonic Hall was laid June 25, 1832 by R. W. Samuel Rockwell, and assisted by William Davis, Thomas Greene, E .H. Pierce, P. Wright, John Miller, Drury Murphy, John Mitchell, and William Hill.
In June of 1834 the building of the Masonic Hall was complete and ready for occupancy. Judge I. L. Harris was the first Worshipful Master to serve in the new Lodge building.
Regular Communications are on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month at 7:30pm.
MASONIC LODGES: LODGE
GRAND MASONIC LODGES: Not listed
Other: Not listed
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