Despite chilling winds, a large crowd was on hand to witness the laying of the cornerstone of Lakin’s new Masonic Temple on April 28, 1956. Distinguished visitors from across the state took part in the festivities which began at the old hall on the southwest corner of Main and Lincoln. Led by the Lakin Grade School band, a procession of nearly 100 Masons made their way north up Main Street to the site of the new temple where several addresses were given and musical numbers performed. A box placed in the cornerstone contained a list of 1956 officers, coins minted in the year 1956 and a number of publications.
Also in the cornerstone box were the last will and testament of William H. Johnson and a trust agreement between Charles A. Loucks and Emerald Lodge #289. Johnson, a pioneer Kearny County rancher and 50+ year member of Emerald Lodge, left property valued at nearly $86,000 to the Masons to be used for the construction of the new temple. Loucks, also of Lakin, was a past Grand Master of the state lodge and furnished additional funds to complete construction and equip the building.
The new lodge was completed in September that year and dedicated September 24th. Many of the Grand Officers of the Kansas Grand Lodge were on hand for the ceremony which included a short program and musical numbers by a sextet of male singers and piano selections by John Sample, music instructor of the Lakin schools. After the dedication service, a picture depicting “One Hundred Years of Kansas Masonry” was shown followed by a dinner.
Designed by architect Howard Blanchard and built by Mel Krebs, Lakin’s Masonic Hall was one of the finest structures of its kind in Kansas at the time and equipped with modern conveniences and equipment throughout. The fully air-conditioned temple included a spacious outer lobby, dining room, kitchen, cloak room, restrooms, secretary’s office and storage and utility areas. The main lodge hall was functional in design with a pleasant color scheme blending rich blues with white and soft tints. The exterior stone was gifted by Vernon Kropp of Winfield who owned land west of Lakin, and Brothers Johnson and Loucks were honored for their benevolence with a bronze plaque bearing their images near the entrance to the lodge.
The Masons are the oldest and largest secular fraternal organization in the world. According to kansasmason.org, the history of Freemasonry can be traced back to the early 17th century when the first Grand Lodge was established in London. This was followed by the establishment of Grand Lodges in other parts of the world, including Scotland, Ireland, and the United States. During the 18th century, Freemasonry gained popularity and acceptance among the social elite in Europe and America. Many notable figures, including George Washington and Benjamin Franklin, were members of the fraternity. Freemasonry played a significant role in the American Revolution as many of the founding fathers were members of the fraternity.
Freemasonry continued to grow and evolve during the 19th and 20th centuries. The fraternity played a significant role in the development of the modern welfare state as many of its members were active in social and political reform movements. Today, Freemasonry continues to be a popular and respected fraternity around the world. Membership offers a unique opportunity to join a brotherhood of like-minded men dedicated to improving themselves and their communities by focusing on moral character development, brotherly love, charity, and community service.
The roots of Lakin’s Masonic Lodge date back to 1886 when several Free Masons were among a large influx of settlers who came to this area. About 25 Master Masons answered the call to meet and took steps to organize a lodge, a goal that was met on March 19, 1887 when Lakin was part of Finney County. Shortly afterwards, the unorganized county of Kearney was attached to the organized county of Hamilton for judicial purposes thus Emerald Lodge #289 of Lakin, Hamilton County, Kansas, was chartered Feb. 15, 1888, by the Grand Lodge of Kansas. Brother Benjamin B. Bacon opened the lodge in form on St. Patrick’s Day 1888 and installed officers. Ten days later, Kearney County was proclaimed a county of its own right by Kansas Governor John A. Martin. Lodge minutes from 1887 and 1888 literally reveal Kearny County history in the making. (In 1889, the second “e” was dropped from Kearney to match the spelling of General Philip Kearny, the man whom this county is named for.)
A room in the 1886 school was used by the Masons and other social organizations until that room was needed when a new wave of settlers came into the county in 1906 and 1907. Then, according to the late Virginia Pierce Hicks, the upstairs of the Main and Lincoln building began being utilized as the local lodge. The downstairs of this building was the location of Mullany and Houser and Mullany and Sons which was discussed in last week’s article. This location was used until the new hall was completed at 214 N. Main.
SOURCES: kansasmason.org; History of Kearny County Vol. I; Museum archives, and archives of The Lakin Independent, Kearny County Advocate and Lakin Investigator.