The Grand Lodge of Virginia granted a dispensation for a Masonic Lodge to be constituted in Lovettsville on September 22, 1865. A charter was granted on December 13th of the same year and the Lodge was named Freedom No. 199. The new Lodge met on the first, third, and fifth Fridays of each month.
Built in 1869, the current lodge hall is the oldest in the Second Masonic District and is “the Southern least Lodge” in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Freedom Lodge went dark in 1890 and remained so until January 18, 1892 when it received dispensation to open under a new charter as Freedom Lodge No. 118.
Stated meetings are conducted the first Friday of each month at 8p with a dinner proceeding at 7p.
More on the Lodge history is found on the Lovettsville Historical Society web page.
Membership over the years
Chartered in 1892, Freedom’s membership has fluxuated over the years. There were 13 members when the Lodge earned back its charter in 1892. Over the years, Freedom membership counts have reflected several national trends.
Membership climbed slowly, but steadily over the first 3 decades reaching a high of 47 in 1922/1923.
Over the next 20 years, membership eroded to a WWII low of 18 from 1944-1946.
During the next 50 years, membership again began to build. Reaching a high of 60 in 1987.
Freedom Lodge is once again on an upswing in membership. We’d enjoy counting YOU as one of our Brothers.
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