Masonic Lodge Open House

A celebration of the Newark Masonic Lodge's charter will be held on May 16, with an open house.

The open house will be from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Refreshments will be served by the members and handouts about the oldest fraternity in existence will also be available.

Several other landmark events were held in the Newark Lodge, the 100th and the 150th celebrations being outstanding, as well as the cornerstone laying of the Newark Public Library. Documents about these events will be on display and the lodge rooms will be open to the public. Display cases will include artifacts from years past and the growth and development of Newark as a community. From Miller's Basin to today's Newark, Masons have been involved in the community.

In 1949, the 150th year celebration was held on the 11th of September and was attended by over 125, including friends and members from as far away as Brooklyn, New Jersey, Vermont, and many surrounding communities. According to the guest book, present were the families of Milton Elzufon, Arthur Graf, Warner Lanfield, Charles Burgess, Frank Burgess, Fay Rumsey, Frank Werts, Orville Gruele, Gene Healy, and many other members and visitors.

The cornerstone laying of the Newark Public Library, on Oct. 17, 1900 included a dinner, an orchestra, hotel rooms for the visiting Grand Line officers, decorations, printing expenses, a concert band, carriages, programs and even cigars. The total bill for the cornerstone laying came to $429.35. The rooms at the Gardenier Hotel were $17.15, the Gibson House $17.50 and the Newark Hotel was $45.10. The dinner bill from the Gardiner brothers was $225 and the orchestra was $15.00, cigars were $7.

Officers of the Newark Masonic Lodge #83, Newark Chapter #117 Royal Arch Masons and Amitie Chapter #473 Order of the Eastern Star will be on hand to answer questions.

There are over 6 million Masons worldwide and more than 2.5 million of them in the US. Masonic philanthropy in 1990 was more than $525 million, 58% of which went to the general public, which included Shiners Burn Centers throughout the US.

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