Santa Maria in Santa Barbara County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Historical Site of the First Masonic Temple in the County of Santa Barbara
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, November 29, 2020
1. Historical Site of the First Masonic Temple in the County of Santa Barbara Marker
Inscription.
Historical Site of the First Masonic Temple in the County of Santa Barbara. . On this site September 28, 1905 representatives of the Masonic Grand Lodge of California convened to place the cornerstone of the first Masonic temple in Santa Barbara County.
Among those famous representatives present were Edward H. Hart, acting Grand Master, and Dr. William T. Lucas, grand orator for the occasion who was also a medical doctor and friend to many of the populace in the city of Santa Maria.
Hall Association members were Madison Thornburg, President and realtor; Charles Bradley, Vice President and a landlord; Mark Fleisher, secretary; Paul Otto Tietzen, treasurer and a banker; Charles U. Armstrong, attorney; J.F. Goodwin; and Fremont C. Twitchell who was master of Hesperian Lodge #264 and a rancher.
Other members who have lent their names to streets, dams, and edifices were Brothers Isaac Miller Jr., hardware clerk and a volunteer fireman; William L. Adam; Henry Stowell; John G. Phell, farmer; Thomas Preisker, attorney; L. W. Blosser; Albert A. Dudley, mortician; Henry C. and William H. Tunnell, farmers; and George M. Doane, carpenter.
Masonry first came to this valley in 1874 to the city of Guadalupe. Hesperian Lodge began meeting in Central City in 1861 and received its charter in 1862. The first Master of Hesperian Lodge was Addison Henry Orr, an architect and builder.
Central City changed its name to Santa Maria in 1884 and received its charter as a city just one week before laying of the cornerstone for the Masonic Temple. The Hesperian Lodge brothers held their firet meeting in their new temple on September 29, 1906 and continued to do so until the earthquakes of 1926 and 1927 damaged the building so that it was deemed to be unsafe for holding lodge meetings.
It was in the basement of this building that the first telephone company in Santa Maria was housed.
The Masonic Temple located here on this site was dedicated by Masons "Going forth to build a better tomorrow on the foundation of love of God, Country and Family while living a life of exemplary truth and morality."
(Committee and Council names not transcribed)
On this site September 28, 1905 representatives of the Masonic Grand Lodge of California convened to place the cornerstone of the first Masonic temple in Santa Barbara County.
Among those famous representatives present were Edward H. Hart, acting Grand Master, and Dr. William T. Lucas, grand orator for the occasion who was also a medical doctor and friend to many of the populace in the city of Santa Maria.
Hall Association members were Madison Thornburg, President and realtor; Charles Bradley, Vice President and a landlord; Mark Fleisher, secretary; Paul Otto Tietzen, treasurer and a banker; Charles U. Armstrong, attorney; J.F. Goodwin; and Fremont C. Twitchell who was master of Hesperian Lodge #264 and a rancher.
Other members who have lent their names to streets, dams, and edifices were Brothers Isaac Miller Jr., hardware clerk and a volunteer fireman; William L. Adam; Henry Stowell; John G. Phell, farmer; Thomas Preisker, attorney; L. W. Blosser; Albert A. Dudley, mortician; Henry C. and William H. Tunnell, farmers; and George M. Doane, carpenter.
Masonry first came to this valley in 1874 to the city of Guadalupe. Hesperian Lodge began meeting in Central City in 1861 and received its charter in 1862. The first Master of Hesperian Lodge was Addison Henry Orr, an architect and builder.
Central City changed
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its name to Santa Maria in 1884 and received its charter as a city just one week before laying of the cornerstone for the Masonic Temple. The Hesperian Lodge brothers held their firet meeting in their new temple on September 29, 1906 and continued to do so until the earthquakes of 1926 and 1927 damaged the building so that it was deemed to be unsafe for holding lodge meetings.
It was in the basement of this building that the first telephone company in Santa Maria was housed.
The Masonic Temple located here on this site was dedicated by Masons "Going forth to build a better tomorrow on the foundation of love of God, Country and Family while living a life of exemplary truth and morality."
(Committee and Council names not transcribed)
Erected by City of Santa Maria, Santa Maria Valley Historical Society. (Marker Number 10.)
Location. 34° 57.128′ N, 120° 26.167′ W. Marker is in Santa Maria, California, in Santa Barbara County. Marker can be reached from South Broadway (State Highway 135) south of West Main Street, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Santa Maria CA 93454, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers.
Photographed By Andrew Ruppenstein, November 29, 2020
2. Historical Site of the First Masonic Temple in the County of Santa Barbara Marker - wide view
More about this marker. The marker is mounted to a low cement monument at the eastern edge of the parking lot that is just south of West Main Street, just south of the entrance to the lot off of Broadway when heading south.
Photo courtesy of University of Southern California Libraries and California Historical Society
3. Exterior view of the Masonic temple in Santa Maria
Credits. This page was last revised on December 17, 2020. It was originally submitted on December 12, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. This page has been viewed 286 times since then and 41 times this year. Photos:1. submitted on December 12, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California. 2, 3. submitted on December 17, 2020, by Andrew Ruppenstein of Lamorinda, California.
