No 20 - Cornerstone Day - Augusta, ME - Maine Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

In Augusta, along Water Street, is a historical sign that relates the events that occurred while laying two cornerstones, one for the Augusta Masonic Bodies Temple, and the other for the Lithgow Library.

A historical marker in both French and English have the following text related to the building:

"Augusta, Maine
Museum in the Streets
On June 14, 1894, the cornerstones for the Masonic Temple and Lithgow Library were laid with imposing Masonic ceremonies. Parades, speeches, and feasting marked the day, and hundreds of people from all over the state participated. Constructed for $40,000 by the Augusta Masonic Building Company, the temple was a meeting place for the capital city's various Masonic organizations. The day marked nearly a century of Masonry in Augusta and over seventy-five years of library activity. An anonymous poet wrote a poem entitled 'The Two Cornerstone' to commemorate the day. The final stanza summed up the day's legacy with these words: Augusta city of our love! The storied past is safely shrined, so that thy children faithful prove, To all these builders have designed.

Le 14 Juin 1894, on posa les premieres pierres du Temple Maconnique et de la bibliotheque Lithgow avec de grandes ceremonies maconniques. Des defiles, discours et festivites marquerent la journee et des centaines de citoyens du Maine y participerent. Construit pour 40 000$ par l'Entreprise de Construction Maconnique d' Augusta, le temple servait de lieu de rendez-vous pour les diverses organisations Maconniques de la capitale. Le journee marqua pres d' un siecle de vie maconnique a Augusta et soixante quinze ans de bibliophilie. Un poete anonyme ecrivit un poeme intitule << Les deux pierres angulaires >> pour commemorer la journee. Le couplet final declare: Ville d' Augusta bien aimee! Ton riche passe rempli d'histoires est ici revere, pour que tes fils se montrent fideles, c'est pour eux tous que les macons ont oeuvre.

20 Cornerstone Day
La pose des premieres pierres

To follow The Museum in the Streets a map is available

The Downtown Augusta Museum in the Streets is a project of the Augusta Historic Preservation Commission and funded in part by generous contributions from Quebec Savings Bank and the Maine Community Foundation.

The Museum in the Streets - Le musee dens la rue, L'histoire au fil des rues are trademarks owned and protected (sont des marques deposdes et protegees)."

The Masonic temple building is located on the east side of Water Street, across the street and a little south of the building. What is visible is a dated stone - hard to lay that on the first day!

Address and /or location: 317 Water Street Augusta, Maine Who put it there (Sponsor): City of Augusta Date (Erected or Dediated): 6/14/1894

Visit Instructions:
1) A new photo taken by you. Make it a quality one. You do not have to be in it, nor your hand held.
2) Some new insight to the history, and/or your personal experience finding the site.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   09/05/2020 tugies visited it