Ashlar Masonic Temple - Nanaimo, British Columbia
Posted by: 
elyob
N 49° 09.944 W 123° 56.220
10U E 431693 N 5446302
The heritage building is located at 101 Commercial Street.
Waymark Code: WMPA2T
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 07/27/2015
Views: 5
Ashlar Lodge No. 3 is one of the oldest lodges in British Columbia. The original site was home to the first Freemason's lodge in the province. The building is listed on the City of Nanaimo, Community Heritage Register. According to that register, the
Lodge is also significant for its association with Alexander Ernest Henderson, best known, in partnership with George W. Grant, for the design of the Vancouver City Hospital (now known as the Heather Pavilion) of Vancouver General Hospital in 1903. Locally, Henderson also designed the Nanaimo Hospital on Machleary Street.
The following text is from a plaque on site.
On this site was constructed the first Masonic temple in the province, the cornerstone of which was laid by J. F. McCreight, P.D.G.M. of the Grand Lodge of British Columbia, on October 15th, 1873.
A year later on October 21st, 1874, the building was consecrated by the grand master. It was the first such occasion for the grand lodge.
This Ashlar Masonic Temple, constructed in 1923, was restored in 1985 and so commemorated by George W. Baldwin, Grand Master, on October 5th, 1985.