Adelphi Lodge #355

Stated Meetings are the 3rd Wednesday of each month.

Practice: 7:00pm
Meeting: 7:30pm

Supper Served at 6:30pm

The history of Adelphi Masonic Lodge #355 is both colorful and well established. Let’s look at the “highlights” of its rich history. In 1870, Garrett Cozine, Thomas J. Ioke and Richard C. Rigg petitioned the Missouri Masons organization for a charter. The charter was granted on October 13th of the same year and the eager and newly formed group opened their first meeting the very next month in the second story of the old flour mill at Union Mills, Missouri.

Union Mills, which no longer exists, was a small town approximately one mile north of Edgerton on the always “unpredictable” Platte River. Few records were kept in those early days but you can only imagine the difficulty lodge brothers must have experienced trying to make it to meetings at a building located so close to the banks of such a distrustful body of water.

Difficult or not, the lodge slowly and steadily grew until it was necessary to relocate to a larger facility. On December 12, 1891, a Masonic Commitee was appointed to look for a new home.

The committee, with A. Breckenridge as Chairman, met on December 14th to consider three proposals:

1. That a lot adjacent to Charles O’Connery’s lot be deeded directly to Adelphi Lodge;
2. That a building be erected in Edgerton and the lodge occupy the second floor;
3. That a room be built by H. Kerr on the second floor and then rented to the lodge for $120.00 annually.

The committee agreed upon the second option, and, in 1892, a contract was drawn up between the Edgerton Investment Company (A.O. Hamilton, President) and the Adelphi Lodge, represented by H.H. Black, R.W. Beery and C.T. Stiff. The new agreement entailed the financing of a brand new, two story building in the grand and growing town of Edgerton. The new building was completed and occupied in 1893.

With Edgerton’s bustling enterprises and rapidly growing population, it must have seemed an “ideal” location for the Victorian era Masons to hold their regular meetings. Edgerton, in those days, was certainly quite a town, with a railroad, two grocery stores, a flour mill, a theater and many other amenities usually found only in cities much larger.

The new building was erected at 312 Frank Street and records show that growth was sure and steady. Monthly meetings had been held in the second story of this building from 1893 until 2001. The Masons have long been known for their devotion and perseverance, but what was to happen next, would challenge even the most dedicated among them.

In March on 2000, the group received notice that the building in which they had been meeting for the past 107 years had been sold and they were given until September 1, 2001 to vacate the premises. Disappointed, but not willing to despair, the group began to consider other possibilities they had for a new lodge home. With virtually no other buildings in Edgerton available for rent, they soon realized that if they were going to maintain the distinction of being one of the oldest, continually operating lodges in the state of Missouri, they had no other choice but to construct their own building.

Realizing this would be a very expensive endeavor, the group consulted with the Grand Lodge of Missouri. A fundraising campaign was decided upon and soon got under way. Worshipful Master Marshall Welch crafted a letter and sent it to all the Missouri lodges explaining the dilemma that the 132 year old lodge was in. Not knowing what to expect, the group was simply hopeful of receiving enough money to get them started with their ambitious project. They didn’t have long to wait for a reply. Donations began coming in from all corners of the state and before it was over, they had received almost enough money to fund the building project in its entirety!

The Masons carefully and quickly began work on their new building with a renewed sense of confidence and satisfaction. The tireless efforts and long hours donated by a few generous volunteers from other Missouri lodges was just what the members needed and before long, a fine 40′ x 60′ structure, complete with all the modern amenities was constructed. When completed, the lot and building were free of debt with just $1.15 remaining in their alloted building fund!

It would not be long until the tenaciousness of the Edgerton Masons would be challenged again. After holding just one meeting in their new facility the building suffered severe damage to the entire south wall when an adjacent abandoned building burned to the ground in the early morning hours of Saturday, December 1, 2001. Once again, those that were able to donated their time skills and labor to restore the building to its orginal state and within a short period, the Masons were able to continue holding their 2nd Tuesday monthly meetings and in doing so, maintained the distinction of being one of the oldest established lodge of Freemasons in Missouri.