The 1st One Hundred Years
Our building is home to the stained glass windows, bell and many other furnishings, transplanted from the Old Stone Church in 1902, when the reservoir was built.
The year of 1876 was a very important year. The United States was celebrating its 100th birthday. In the month of March two special events of note occurred. First, news from the east announced that on March 8, 1876 a Special Dispensation was granted from the Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts, to institute a Masonic Lodge in the Town of West Boylston. The second event of equal importance (though not related) came two days later on March 10th, 1876 when the world learned that Alexander Graham Bell sent his voice over a wire and was to be called "the telephone" came into existence.
You probably know the whole story about "the telephone" so I won't go into great detail about that here. What you might not know is the story of how this Lodge came into being and some of the events that have since transpired.
The Special Dispensation granted above was an answer to a request by twenty-two Masons mostly from Trinity Lodge of Clinton, MA. This group of Masons had received permission to establish a Lodge and now sought a place to meet. They knocked at the door of the First Baptist Church and found their new home in the upper room above the sanctuary. These quarters were shared with the Centennial Lodge of Odd Fellows, the local Grange, and the Lodge of Royal Arcanum.
The First Regular Communication of Boylston Lodge, A.F. & A.M. was held in the wooden church on the site where the Old Stone Church is located today.
The rental of the Lodge room was $25.00 per year. The rental for the furniture was $25.00 per year in addition.
The first line of officers was filled with many prominent citizens of this community and the surrounding area. Those officers are listed below.
The Church Street location was designed to accommodate the original stained glass from the Stone Church... The Old Stone Church became an official historical landmark in 1973 and it stands to the members of Boylston Lodge as a monument of our birthplace and a reminder of our local roots.
Boylston Lodge is proud of its roots here in West Boylston and we’re proud to have members who have played such a vital part in the growth and development of this great town.