Bad Links?
Other glitches?
Notify Webmaster

Lodge celebrates 50 years

By CAROLYN CARY
ccary@TheCitizenNews.com

The Masonic history in Fayette County is long and distinguished. According to the “The History of Fayette County,” the first Freemason organization in Fayette County was chartered in 1846 and was active until 1881.

Fayetteville Masonic Lodge No. 711 Worshipful Master, Nathaniel S. Huddleston, receives a certificate of appreciation for his work from the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Georgia, Thomas L. Blanton. Photo/Carolyn Cary.

The second one was chartered in Jonesboro in 1849, which was located in Fayette County at that time. It is still operating under that same charter today.

Fayetteville Masonic Lodge No. 711 was chartered October 27, 1954, and has just celebrated its 50th birthday.

Four years later it purchased land at what is now the corner of Highway 54 West and Lafayette Street from the Fayette County Board of Education. Construction was begun in the spring and less than six months later a permanent two-story building sat at the corner of this lot. The late sheriff, Hugh Stinchcomb, and builder Huie Bray supervised the construction.

The two columns were purchased from a Jewish building in Atlanta that was going to be razed. Though funds were borrowed in the amount of $20,000 for the construction, the lots on the east side of the property were sold and the note paid.

In 1968 donations were taken to install theater-style seats with 50 being purchased. The names of each donor is engraved on the arm of each seat.

The Masonic organization for teenage girls is called The Rainbow Girls. The group was active in the 1980s.

The Order of Eastern Star is an auxiliary of the Masons and four chapters have been chartered in the county but none are active now.

The elected head of the Masonic chapters is referred to as Worshipful Master, and there are 47 photos on the wall of the lodge of those who have served since 1954. Of those, 19 are deceased.

The current Worshipful Master is Nathaniel S. Huddleston, whose father, Alvin Huddleston, served in that capacity in 1982. His uncles, Bee Huddleston, served in 1978, and Johnny Huddleston served in 1984.

Another set of brothers who have served besides the Huddleston’s, is the late Buddy Trammel, in 1972, and the late Norman Trammell, in 1975.