San Saba Lodge No. 612, A. F. & A. M -- San Saba TX - Masonic Temples on Waymarking.com

This nondescript lodge building hides a lot of interesting Freemason history, which is fortunateky shared in 2 historic markers located at the frnt of thr builing.

Those markers read as follows:

"San Saba Lodge No. 225, A. F. & A. M

The history of San Saba is closely tied with the story of freemasonry in the area, as many of those who helped organize San Saba County were Masons. Local freemasons were already gathering as a group when the first county courthouse was erected in 1857 and the commissioners court allowed the Masons to meet in the new building.

Twelve Master Masons petitioned the Grand Lodge of Texas for dispensation to form a lodge; their petition was granted in May 1858. A full charter for San Saba Lodge No. 225 was granted in June 1859. Members of the lodge were county officials, community leaders, frontier trailblazers, Texas Rangers, sheriffs and Confederate soldiers.

The lodge first focused on the need for a public school in San Saba as members built a combination school and lodge hall. The Texas Legislature granted an official charter to the San Saba Masonic College in 1863.

Freemasonry grew in popularity and in 1863 the Royal Arch Masons were granted a dispensation for a San Saba chapter, remaining active until 1869. Despite a membership of 84 in 1879, San Saba lodge suffered the same financial hardships as most of the Texas lodges during Reconstruction. San Saba Lodge No. 225 surrendered its charter in 1882, due in part to perceived association with the San Saba mob, an outlaw vigilante group that terrorized the county during that era. A new lodge was organized in 1884, however, allowing freemasonry to survive in San Saba. (1999)"

and

"San Saba Lodge No. 612, A. F. & A. M

San Saba Masonic Lodge No. 612 arose out of a long history of freemasonry in San Saba county. This lodge, chartered on December 11, 1885, was the successor to Lodge No. 225 that was disbanded in 1882 as a result of financial troubles and a perceived association with the San Saba mob. The new lodge included 21 new members and distanced itself from associations to the infamous mob.

At the turn of the 20th century, order membership had grown enough to construct a new two-story building at the 300 block of East Wallace street. In this new building, the lodge continued their commitment to community service, helping to establish the first community library and equip the local post office. Unfortunately, a fire in 1909 destroyed the entire building, including records, challenging the lodge’s survival. The members persevered and held meetings in brother T.A. Murray’s building while new construction began on the same site later that year.

Despite periods of financial problems, particularly during the Great Depression, Lodge No. 612 maintained its commitment to charitable activities in local and national causes. Two lodges merged with San Saba Lodge; Bend Lodge No. 1124 in 1951 and Richland Springs Lodge No. 882 in 2011. These helped the lodge increase its membership and leadership. Its history reflects the challenges and prosperity of San Saba county. Lodge No. 612 remains active in the community, supporting public school education and upholding the Masonic tradition of “charity and fraternity.” (2012)

Marker is property of the State of Texas"

The San Saba Masonic Lodge No. 612 is located on the US 190 east of San Saba.

MASONIC LODGES: LODGE GRAND MASONIC LODGES: Not listed Other: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Take a photo of the front entrance with your GPS in the Photo.

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Date Logged Log User Rating   06/12/2021 WalksfarTX visited it 01/09/2017 Benchmark Blasterz visited it

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