Freemasonry is the world’s oldest and largest fraternal organization.\u00a0 The Masonic Fraternity came to Wisconsin from England.\u00a0 The first Masonic Lodge was started near Green Bay in the 1820s (almost 25 years before Wisconsin became a state.)\u00a0 As more Masons move into the state, they brought their fraternity with them.\u00a0 At their peak, Wisconsin had more than 360 active lodges in the state.<\/p>\n
This Lodge (Fulton Lodge No. 69) was founded in July 1855 in Fulton Center (present day Indianford) in Rock County.\u00a0 The first recorded meeting of the lodge was held under dispensation on the evening of August 4th, 1855.\u00a0 At this meeting, the brethren were informed that a petition for a charter or a warrant empowering them to institute a lodge of A. F. & A. M. had been forwarded to the Grand Lodge officers in Milwaukee for their approval.\u00a0 In June 1856, the Lodge was given a charter from the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin.\u00a0 Erastus Hopkins served as its master, with Robert Stone and Albert Wagner as Wardens.<\/p>\n
The Lodge rented its first rooms on the second floor of a store in Fulton Center run by Henry Whittaker and William T. Hall.\u00a0 During the winter months, the lodge convened at 6 o’clock P.M. and for the first seven years, met each week.\u00a0 In late 1857, the lodge moved to the Village of Edgerton, having their first meeting on December 2nd, 1857.<\/p>\n
After moving, the lodge rented quarters again.\u00a0 in 1880, the lodge was occupying rooms over Croft’s Drug store at the corner of Henry and Fulton streets, where they remained until February 3rd, 1886.\u00a0 At that time, the lodge agreed to rent Royal Hall from Messrs. Maltpress and McGiffin\u00a0 for a period of ten years at an annual rent of $175.00 per year.\u00a0 In 1887, Fulton Lodge joined with the local Odd Fellows lodge to purchase Royal Hall at a price of $3,300.00.<\/p>\n
After the turn of the last century, Fulton Lodge assumed the Royal Hall indebtedness and acquired the Odd Fellows ownership interest.\u00a0 W. W. Child, a 19th century Master of Fulton Lodge, was a significant contributor to the lodge, as well as Freemasonry in general.\u00a0 In fact, the W. W. Child Lodge No. 295 at Gays Mills in Crawford County was named for him in 1908.<\/p>\n
In 1919, Fulton Lodge decided to erect a new building.\u00a0 The first meeting of the building committee was held Feb 7, 1919.\u00a0 Frank Pearson was delegated by the building committee to purchase the C. H. Dickerson property.\u00a0 This property was purchased for $3,000 with Mr. Dickerson contributing $1,500.\u00a0 Mr. John Rousch was given full responsibility of and for construction.\u00a0 Compensation to Mr. Rousch was to be 85 cents per hour and 10% above cost of labor hired by him.On October 15, 1921 a dedication ceremony was held at the new building.\u00a0 A parade with 2,000 Master Masons, led by the Tripoli Shrine Band from Milwaukee, preceded the dedication of the new facility by Grand Master William Weiler.<\/p>\n
On the night of March 10, 1939, a banquet was held for the purpose of burning the mortgage.\u00a0 It was discovered at the last moment that after generous contributions from W. W. Child’s daughter and the Eastern Star members, the lodge was still $50 short of the mortgage balance.\u00a0 The final amount was contributed by Wisconsin’s Governor, Julius P. Heil, a fellow Mason.<\/p>\n
Today, Fulton Lodge remains an active part of the Edgerton community.\u00a0 The lodge actively raises funds for local charities, allows local groups to use its buildings and facilities for community purposes, and many of its members raise funds for Shriner’s Hospitals for Children through the Zor Shrine Mini Cars.<\/p>\n
To learn more about this lodge, contact:<\/p>\n
master@edgertonmasons.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
To learn more about Freemasonry in General, we suggest visiting:<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.freemasonry.org\/<\/a><\/p>\n To learn more about Freemasonry in Wisconsin, we suggest visiting:<\/p>\n Official Website of the Grand Lodge F.&A.M. of WI<\/a><\/p>\n To learn more about the Shriners, and Shriner’s Hospitals for Children:<\/p>\n