A7V
Registered User
I am not sure if anyone would find this interesting but I wanted to share the history of the lodge I was raised in.
The coolest part to me is that we had a King as one of our members!
Hawaiian Lodge, Free & Accepted Masons, is the oldest American Masonic Lodge in the State of Hawaii. It received its dispensation to form the twenty-first constituent lodge of the Grand Lodge of California on January 12, 1852, and is also one of the oldest Masonic Lodges in that jurisdiction.
Its thirteen founders included seven members of Lodge Le Progres de l’Oceanie, established in Honolulu under the Grand Lodge of France in 1843, and the two Lodges have had a close relationship ever since. (Although “Lodge Le Progres†was the first Masonic Lodge in Hawaii, it did not meet between 1850 and 1855, and its charter was treated as suspended until 1859.)
Several members of Hawaiian Lodge played major roles in advising Hawaiian monarchs, building the sugar industry, forming the Republic of Hawaii, the annexation of the islands as a Territory of the United States and supporting statehood. The Lodge helped lay the cornerstones of the Queen’s Hospital, Aliiolani Hale, Iolani Palace, the Library of Hawaii, the Territorial Building and other public edifices throughout the state.
Hawaiian Lodge is responsible for building three Masonic Temples. The first was in 1879, at the intersection of Fort and Queen Streets (where a small triangle park exists today). The second was built in 1892, at the current site of the District Court of Honolulu, at the corner of Alakea and Hotel Streets, a block away from the Iolani Palace grounds.
The present Temple at the corner of Kinau and Makiki Streets was dedicated in 1937. It once was part of the residence of Princess Kekaulike, sister of Queen Kapiolani, Kalakaua’s wife. When Hawaiian Lodge purchased the property, it was the old Kapiolani Maternity Home. In 1950 Hawaiian Lodge conveyed equal interests in the Temple to Lodge Le Progres, Honolulu Lodge and Pearl Harbor Lodge, and today the four Lodges remain its owners.
Our Lodge has included among its members King Kamehameha IV and other members of Hawaiian royalty, the historian Abraham Fornander, the inventor of modern baseball Alexander Cartwright, and the Olympic swimming champion Duke Kahanamoku. Its rolls have also included names like Petrie, Monsarrat, Judd, Hassinger and other businessmen, lawyers, judges, governors, legislators and other prominent citizens of this community after whom buildings, parks and streets were named.
Hawaiian Lodge has always been a leader in community and charitable service. From its earliest days, the Lodge lent its aid during the epidemics of the 1850s, beginning a long tradition of assisting the needy. In more modern times, many of its members have joined the Scottish Rite and the Shriners, and through those organizations they have supported the Eye Bank, Speech Therapy Institute and the Hospital for Crippled Children.
With a membership of about 490, Hawaiian Lodge is presently the largest Masonic Lodge in the State. Many of its Brethren became charter members of Leeward Lodge F & AM, which received its dispensation to form a Lodge in Waipahu, Hawaii, in 2001
The coolest part to me is that we had a King as one of our members!
Hawaiian Lodge, Free & Accepted Masons, is the oldest American Masonic Lodge in the State of Hawaii. It received its dispensation to form the twenty-first constituent lodge of the Grand Lodge of California on January 12, 1852, and is also one of the oldest Masonic Lodges in that jurisdiction.
Its thirteen founders included seven members of Lodge Le Progres de l’Oceanie, established in Honolulu under the Grand Lodge of France in 1843, and the two Lodges have had a close relationship ever since. (Although “Lodge Le Progres†was the first Masonic Lodge in Hawaii, it did not meet between 1850 and 1855, and its charter was treated as suspended until 1859.)
Several members of Hawaiian Lodge played major roles in advising Hawaiian monarchs, building the sugar industry, forming the Republic of Hawaii, the annexation of the islands as a Territory of the United States and supporting statehood. The Lodge helped lay the cornerstones of the Queen’s Hospital, Aliiolani Hale, Iolani Palace, the Library of Hawaii, the Territorial Building and other public edifices throughout the state.
Hawaiian Lodge is responsible for building three Masonic Temples. The first was in 1879, at the intersection of Fort and Queen Streets (where a small triangle park exists today). The second was built in 1892, at the current site of the District Court of Honolulu, at the corner of Alakea and Hotel Streets, a block away from the Iolani Palace grounds.
The present Temple at the corner of Kinau and Makiki Streets was dedicated in 1937. It once was part of the residence of Princess Kekaulike, sister of Queen Kapiolani, Kalakaua’s wife. When Hawaiian Lodge purchased the property, it was the old Kapiolani Maternity Home. In 1950 Hawaiian Lodge conveyed equal interests in the Temple to Lodge Le Progres, Honolulu Lodge and Pearl Harbor Lodge, and today the four Lodges remain its owners.
Our Lodge has included among its members King Kamehameha IV and other members of Hawaiian royalty, the historian Abraham Fornander, the inventor of modern baseball Alexander Cartwright, and the Olympic swimming champion Duke Kahanamoku. Its rolls have also included names like Petrie, Monsarrat, Judd, Hassinger and other businessmen, lawyers, judges, governors, legislators and other prominent citizens of this community after whom buildings, parks and streets were named.
Hawaiian Lodge has always been a leader in community and charitable service. From its earliest days, the Lodge lent its aid during the epidemics of the 1850s, beginning a long tradition of assisting the needy. In more modern times, many of its members have joined the Scottish Rite and the Shriners, and through those organizations they have supported the Eye Bank, Speech Therapy Institute and the Hospital for Crippled Children.
With a membership of about 490, Hawaiian Lodge is presently the largest Masonic Lodge in the State. Many of its Brethren became charter members of Leeward Lodge F & AM, which received its dispensation to form a Lodge in Waipahu, Hawaii, in 2001
