Hiram Lodge No. 18, Sandy Hook

On March 15, 2006, the 100th anniversary of the first dedication of the LodgeTemple building was conducted by MWGM George S. Greytak and his suite of Grand lodge Officers. There were more than 60 Brothers and guests including a press reporter from the Newtown Bee.  A dinner was held before the ceremony in the Fellowship Hall.  This was a joint communication with King Solomons Lodge No. 7 of Woodbury, CT.  There were Brothers from numerous Lodges in the State, with 4 brothers traveling from Hay Market Lodge No. 313, Hay Market, Virginia.  It was a very festive evening and everyone had a great time enjoying the fellowship.

A Brief History

Hiram Lodge was Chartered on January 17, 1791. R.W. Brother Nathan Preston, accompanied by several brothers from Woodbury, journeyed to Newtown and in the Lodge rooms in the home of Bro. Bennett Perry, installed Bro. Peter Nichols as the first Master of Hiram Lodge. When the ceremonies had been concluded and the accustomed charges given for such occasions, the Rev. Bro. Philo Perry, minister of Trinity Church in Newtown, delivered an oration for the benefit of the brethren. The Grand Lodge was then closed. WM Peter Nichols then proceeded to open the first regular communication of Hiram Lodge.

In the first 60 years of Hiram Lodge's existence, there were five meeting places; Bennett Perry's Lodge room: 1791-1821, Czar Keller's Lodge room: 1821-1823, William Blakely's Lodge room: 1823-1825, Masonic Hall:1825-1848, and Alexander Hall's home: 1848-? In 1905 the Lodge purchased a lot from St. John's Parish, next to and north of the Parish for $ 150.  H.C. McCollam of Redding was hired to build the new Temple for a sum of $ 2,949.  The Temple was completed in 1906.  The first meeting was held in the new Temple on November 21, 1906 and has continued at this location ever since.