Downtown in Hampton, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)
The Masonic Temple
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 6, 2021
1. The Masonic Temple Marker
Inscription.
The Masonic Temple. . St. Tammany Lodge No. 5, A.F. and A.M. was organized in Hampton under a charter granted by the Grand Lodge of England, February 26, 1759. This Temple was erected in 1888. The unusual medallions on the north face represent Masonic symbols. When the Masons relocated, removing the original cornerstone in 1969, it was found three feet below sidewalk level on a bed of oyster shells. During the War Between the States, the jewels of the Lodge fell into the hands of a soldier of the opposing army. Because he was a Mason, who realized their value and significance, they were returned to St. Tammany after the war.
St. Tammany Lodge No. 5, A.F. & A.M. was organized in Hampton under a charter granted by the Grand Lodge of England, February 26, 1759. This Temple was erected in 1888. The unusual medallions on the north face represent Masonic symbols. When the Masons relocated, removing the original cornerstone in 1969, it was found three feet below sidewalk level on a bed of oyster shells. During the War Between the States, the jewels of the Lodge fell into the hands of a soldier of the opposing army. Because he was a Mason, who realized their value and significance, they were returned to St. Tammany after the war.
Erected 1985 by Friends of Juanita Allen Osborne, first chairman of the Community Improvement Program of the Woman's Club of Hampton, Virginia.
Location. 37° 1.544′ N, 76° 20.596′ W. Marker is in Hampton, Virginia. It is in Downtown. It is on East Queens Way just west of Wine Street, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 34 E Queens Way, Hampton VA 23669, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on the Peninsula and in Coastal Virginia. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, and in the Tidewater. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 6, 2021
2. The Masonic Temple
Photographed by Devry Becker Jones (CC0), February 6, 2021
3. Additional plaque on the building
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 7, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 867 times since then and 92 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on February 7, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
