In the Beginning . . .

Source of Information

Back in the early seventies, I was the editor and publisher of a lodge newsletter called the” Marion McDaniel Messenger". During this time I established contact by mail or in person with many of the early Masters of our lodge. It is from these early publications that most of my current information is derived. One of the most helpful sources of information came from conversations with Hack Baldwin, the lodge Treasurer. Hack had a fantastic recall ability. I would ask him about something that may have happened ten years ago. There would be a brief pause and then a gushing of names, dates and events like they had just happened yesterday.

Some of this became incorporated in my early articles of the messenger.

This past year I had an opportunity to go through our current and retired files, filling in many gaps of our early history. After several lengthy visits I pieced together as to how and where the many events were recorded and where in the files the information could be found. So now I will attempt to put my earlier attempt at history together a sequences of events with pictures and other supporting information. I was a line officer when John Wayne became a Mason in our lodge so much of that I experienced and lived through.

The Need for Change

Go back in time, if you will, to 1955, Tucson was much smaller and the real estate boom had just begun. Growth was centered in an area east of St.  Mary's Hospital west of Swan Road, south of Fort Lowell Road and north of the town of South Tucson. Masonic activity was primarily centered at the Scottish Rite Temple in downtown Tucson. Here the five existing Lodges and numerous other groups had their meetings. In 1962, Tucson Lodge #4 built their first Temple on North Campbell Avenue. Sabbar Shrine already had their own facilities.

As the city population grew the building facilities at the Scottish Rite  became more crowded and the available “lodge positions” within the lodges became more restricted.

Our Own beginnings

lt was in December of 1956, at an installation supper and dance, that Claude Maben turned to Fred Allison and suggested "let's start  our own lodge". Now it is one thing to have an idea, have it a dream, but quite another matter to make it a reality and come true.  In the months that followed there were numerous discussions by Claude and Fred  in convincing others to join this Masonic venture. As time went on, the following concepts emerged from their discussions. 

More to come . . .