Nunda Lodge No. 169 A.F. & A.M.

Meet on the Level, Act by the Plumb, and Part Upon the Square

Welcome to Nunda Lodge No. 169 Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, the oldest fraternal organization in Crystal Lake at more than 160 years old.

The Lodge roster of members since 1855 includes hundreds of men who were pillars of the Crystal Lake community. The list includes lawyers, judges, doctors, politicians, businessmen, educators, and more. Names like Gates, Cowlin, Pflueger, McCollum, Dean, Fanter, Flagg, Franz, Pingry, Lowell, Metropulos, Oehmke, Palmer, Svejcar and Clow fill the books. It is virtually a “Who’s Who” of the community.

Nunda Masonic Lodge No. 169 continues today. In an effort to make available to others the benefits of Freemasonry, we sponsor youth programs, offer support to our members in need, and reach out to the larger community by offering college scholarships and hosting sailors from Great Lakes Naval Station at Thanksgiving during our Adopt-a-Sailor event. Today’s Cary-Grove Lodge No. 1157 was started in 1927 by a group of Master Masons from Nunda Lodge.

On April 7, 1855, a meeting was held under dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Illinois to empower nine Master Masons to form a new Lodge in Nunda Township. Those nine men were: James R. Mack, Horace Burton, William R. Willard, E.J. Kelsey, A.H. Nixon, Harley Green, Abner Mack, Gustavus A. Palmer, and James S. Anderson. Bylaws were adopted, and James R. Mack was elected the first Worshipful Master. Two petitions were then read and received at the first meeting.

According to Lodge history, the first meetings were held at the home of Horace Burton, near Griswold Lake. For a few years, the meetings were held in the newly-built brick home of G.A. Palmer (commonly known today as “The Colonel Palmer House”). Eventually, the lodge meetings moved from its members’ homes and into one location in town. A Fire on February 1st, 1868 unfortunately destroyed the building in which the Lodge held its meetings, and nothing was saved except the minutes and records. The original Charter, which hung on the wall was destroyed in the flames, but a duplicate Charter was later reissued by the Grand Lodge on March 19, 1869 which remains in the Lodge room today.

 

Meetings were once again held at G.A. Palmer’s home for a year until the Lodge could arrange for a new place to meet in town. The Lodge rented space on North Main Street (just north of Beardsley Street). In 1907, the Masons moved to the second floor of the recently constructed Town Hall (corner of North Main and Beardsley) and  continued meeting in this space until 1960.

The Lodge roster of members since 1855 includes hundreds of men who were pillars of the Crystal Lake community. The list includes lawyers, judges, doctors, politicians, businessmen, educators, and more. Names like Gates, Cowlin, Pflueger, McCollum, Dean, Fanter, Flagg, Franz, Pingry, Lowell, Metropulos, Oehmke, Palmer, Svejcar and Clow fill the books. It is virtually a “Who’s Who” of the community.

By the late 1950s, the Lodge had definitely outgrown its rented space above City Hall. At the same time, St. Paul’s United Church of Christ’s congregation was making plans to move to a new church building on Woodstock Street. St. Paul’s historic church at the corner of Ellsworth and Sherman Streets became available, and a deal was struck. In June, 1960, Worshipful Master Keith Oehmke accepted the keys to the Lodge’s new home. More than 250 Master Masons, Order of the Eastern Star, DeMolay members, and Building Corporation officers following Lodge officers marched from the old quarters above City Hall to St. Paul’s Church in full regalia, led by Marshall at the time, Harold Reber. St. Paul’s Church is our current home still today.

The men quickly went to work with member Hilding Olson being appointed chairman of the remodeling committee. The old St. Paul’s Church was transformed to suit the needs of the Lodge and our affiliated groups. The upstairs meeting hall (former church sanctuary) is used for formal meetings, while the downstairs provides room for fellowship, food, and recreation.

Nunda Masonic Lodge No. 169 continues today. In an effort to make available to others the benefits of Freemasonry, we sponsor youth programs, offer support to our members in need, and reach out to the larger community by offering college scholarships and hosting sailors from Great Lakes Naval Station at Thanksgiving during our Adopt-a-Sailor event. The Lodge often assists other area Lodge’s with Masonic Degrees and other events. Today’s Cary-Grove Lodge No. 1157 was even started in 1927 by a group of Master Masons from Nunda Lodge.

Now 344 members strong, Nunda Lodge continues to attract new members and strives to create a well-developed and ever-evolving brotherhood. The lodge meets at 200 Ellsworth Street in Crystal Lake, IL. The Stated Lodge meetings occur every 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday of the month, except when we go dark June-August. We resume normal Stated meetings on the 4^th Tuesday of August. Dinner is served at 6:30pm and the gavel sounds at 7:30pm.

(Historical information obtained through the Crystal Lake Historical Society)