Recently, the Warren Lodge donated $1,000 to Jacksonville Community Center. In 2017, they also donated the same amount to Jacksonville Elementary School for their cafeteria garden. Both were selected based upon their support of children’s programming, including JCC programs for painting, clay work and woodlands walks.
On June 10, 1855 Jacksonville’s Masonic Warren Lodge #10 received its Charter. It was the first Masonic Lodge south of Salem, originally a two story log building on 5th Street where historic Courthouse/current City Hall is located. It was named for General Joseph Warren, Boston Lodge Master, until his death during the Revolutionary War.
Table Rock City was established from a donation land claim of early gold miner, Masonic Brother Frank Cluggage, who struck it rich at Daisy Creek’s Rich Gulch. In 1852, our town was renamed Jacksonville, and was the Jackson County seat. By the 1870s, fires had consumed many wooden homes and businesses, many of which were then reconstructed of brick by local Masonic brick masons.
Most founding lodge members were European immigrants, including Cornelius Beekman who opened Beekman Bank. Worshipful Master Thomas Reames was City Counselor, Mayor, Sheriff, County Clerk, and Oregon National Guard Brigadier. Brother Max Mueller, Masonic Treasurer, was City and County Treasurer.
Today’s Worshipful Master is Jim Preston, who presides over the Warren Lodge, at the corner of Oregon and California Streets, which was rebuilt in 1876 using 200,000 bricks.
For more information, contact Masonic Secretary, Jeffrey Levin, at maclevin@charter.net.
Featured image l-r: Emily Saunders, Jeff Levin, Cliff Litster, Don Blankenship