LARAMIE LODGE #3 AF
& AM ON ITS 150TH ANNIVERSARY
1)
First
chartered by the Grand Lodge of Colorado on February 1,1870,
the first stated communication for Laramie Lodge Under Dispensation was on February
11, 1870. (Lodges under dispensation have to meet a number of requirements
before they may be chartered.) The charter for Laramie Lodge #18 was granted on
September 28, 1870 and the installation of officers took place on October 4,
1870.
2)
Cheyenne Lodge #16 was chartered in October 1868 by the
Grand Lodge of Colorado; the South Pass
City’s Wyoming Lodge #28 was chartered in December 1869 by
the Grand Lodge of Nebraska; and the Evanston Lodge #24 was chartered in
December 1874 by the Grand Lodge of Colorado.
3)
On
December 15, 1874 the four lodges met in Laramie to join forces and form the
Grand Lodge of Wyoming. The meeting was organized by the Cheyenne and Laramie
Masons with representation of the other lodges. New charters were issued with
Cheyenne #1, Wyoming (South Pass) #2, Laramie #3 and Evanston #4.
4)
A
petition for a Chapter of Royal Arch
Masons was made on February 22, 1877, a dispensation was granted on March
15 authorizing the organization of Lebanon Chapter #3. A charter was granted on
August 24, 1877 by the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons. A new
charter was issued by the newly organized Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of
Wyoming in 1909.
5)
Immanuel Commandery
#3 Knights Templar
was chartered by the Grand Encampment of Knights Templar of the USA on
September 23, 1886.
6)
Alpha
Chapter #1 Order of Eastern Star was
chartered April 3, 1896 by the General Grand Chapter of OES and Snowy Range
Chapter #45 OES was chartered by the Grand Chapter of OES of Wyoming August 31,
1939. #1 consolidated with #45 in the not too distant past.
7)
The
current building was dedicated on June 24, 1912.
8)
In1949 the Grand Lodge of Wyoming met in
Laramie…at the time there were 50 lodges
in the state with a membership of 10,672.
9)
In
1952 total membership of Laramie #3
was 768; shortly thereafter Gem City #52
was chartered with 90 signatures on the petition for dispensation to form a
lodge. Sojourners (Masons from other jurisdictions residing in the Laramie #3
jurisdiction) and members of Laramie #3 signed the petition…23 from #3, 45 from
other Wyoming jurisdictions, and 22 signatures of sojourners from Nebraska,
Montana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, California, South Dakota, Illinois,
Maryland, Missouri, Pennsylvania, Utah and the Philippines. Dispensation was
issued March 18, 1953 and a charter granted August 25, 1953. Gem City Lodge #52 consolidated with
Laramie Lodge #3 on April 30, 2005 bringing total membership of Laramie
Lodge #3 to 220.
10) The Masonic Temple was also, for many
years, the home of chapters of DeMolay for
boys and young men and Jobs
Daughters for girls and young women. The youth groups dissolved as demands
on their time and other leadership opportunities have become available to them.
11) For Master Masons there are a number of avenues for further study and
participation in Freemasonry: the York
Rite, the Scottish Rite, the Shrine, the York Rite
College, and a number of honorary
bodies, many of which have limited membership.
12) The lodges, Rites and Shrines support philanthropic entities that research or
provide treatment for health issues that affect young and old.
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