History
of Eureka Lodge No. 16
Many people ask why we have the name “Eureka,” which means, “I have found it.”
A few men working their way up the American River in search of gold came to a large gravel bar. One of the men washed some of the gravel and the gold in the pan caused him to shout “Eureka”! So this bar was named Eureka Bar. Among those hearty pioneer who were cutting a notch for themselves in the new West were several Master Masons. Some of these men took time out from their audacious labors and applied for a dispensation to establish a Masonic lodge at Eureka Bar.
Deputy Grand Master John A. Tutt issued a dispensation with the name of Eureka to Brother R. Aken, naming him Worshipful Master, Brother Lisbon Applegate, Senior Warden, and Brother Robert Bollen, Junior Warden.
They held their first meeting Under Dispensation on the 12th day of July 1851 at Eagle City which was located on the Middle Fork of the American River, near Michigan Bluff.
At the second meeting of the Lodge on the 17th of July the hall committee reported and it was voted that the Lodge erect a building opposite Eureka Bar at the mouth of the race known as the Horseshoe Race.
From July 12th to September 23rd there were twenty-seven meetings, and considerable Masonic business such as initiations, passing and raising was transacted. At this time most of the members were engaged in driving a tunnel through Horseshoe Bend to divert the water of the Middle Fork of the American River. This venture proved a failure and Eagle City was abandoned. Twenty-three members demitted, leaving only sixteen to carry on the work. Brother Lisbon Applegate, Senior Warden, gathered the property of the Lodge and tendered it to the Grand Lodge. The Grand Master refused to accept it and ordered Brother Applegate to find a suitable place to locate the Lodge.
In accordance with the Grand Master’s wishes, Brother Applegate petitioned the Grand Lodge to located the Lodge at Auburn.
On November 7, 1851, the petition was granted and a charter issued naming the Lodge, “Eureka No. 16” Free and Accepted Masons, with Brother R. Aken, Worshipful Master, Lisbon Applegate, Senior Warden, R. W. Bollen, Junior Warden, D. K. Neville, Treasurer, G. W. Applegate, Secretary, Z. Faulkner, Senior Deacon, J. E. Jacobs Junior Deacon, W. Calloway, Tyler, T. W. Beardsley, P.S. Russell, G.P. H. Couran, J. A. Tyler, G. F. Newhall, A. J. Weaver, F. Room, and A. W. Rose all being charter members.
The first meeting of the Lodge in Auburn was held November 9, 1851. At this meeting a committee was appointed to secure and furnish a suitable Lodge room, and on November 15th the new Lodge room was dedicated for Masonic uses. This room was located of the west side of Sacramento Street, south of the American Hotel.
On April 15, 1853 a contract was let to erect a two-story clapboard building on what is now the northeast corner of the Court House grounds. The upper story was to be used as a Lodge room and the ground floor as a school, if “there should be a sufficient number of children to require the use of it.” This building was completed June 24, 1853, and the occasion was celebrated by a grand ball.
In May 1860 a contract was let to erect a Masonic Hall over a one story building on Commercial Street, then owned by George Wilmot. This new hall was completed and dedicated on December 27, 1860. The cost of the hall was $6,874.60. In order to pay this indebtedness and carry on relief work of the Lodge, this new building was mortgaged for $1,500.00 and the members voluntarily taxed themselves $2.50 per month until they were free of debt.
In the year 1861 the building committee reported that they had sold the old hall for $400.00 and that it would be removed and the lot sold to the County Supervisors for $500.00 in County script, which was equal to about $450.00 in cash.
These were trying times for the Brethren of Eureka Lodge. During the Civil War the membership suffered a loss of from forty-two to thirty-five.
However, the harmony in the Lodge was noteworthy. There was a large southern faction in it and frequently a secretary’s southern terminology betrayed where he was raised. For example, at the beginning of the minutes he would write, “Free and Accepted Ancient York Masons”, instead of just, “Free and Accepted Masons” which was the custom of his northern Brethren. Yet it appears that within the walls of Eureka Lodge southerner and northerner commendably subordinated their sectional feeling to the welfare of the fraternity.
Early in the history of the Lodge there was mention of the use and condition of the Old Grave Yard (Old Auburn Cemetery) and the obligation of the Lodge to pay for certain improvements, but by 1872 a committee appointed to select a site for a Masonic cemetery recommended that the Lodge buy nine 18x20 plots in I.O.O.F. Cemetery. This recommendation was adopted and at a later date they added half an acre bought from adjoining land.
On November 7, 1901, the fiftieth anniversary of the granting of the charter, a celebration was held with a banquet, which was said to surpass any affair of the kind, ever held in Auburn. The Officers of Grand Lodge were received with Grand Honors and Brother J. H. Neff acted as toastmaster.
About the year 1910 the question of a more commodious hall, at a more central location began to be agitated among the Brethren and committee after committee was appointed and dismissed until the discussion was ended in the submission of an option from the Auburn Investment Company, which was dated July 24, 1913, for the purchase of a one story brick building and a lot 80x92 in the middle of Auburn at a place called Central Square.
After much discussion it was voted by all Masonic bodies and the Eastern Star to purchase the property for $17,000.00. The various bodies raised $6,500.00 and a mortgage was placed for $10,500.00 to complete the purchase price.
Brothers Louis Klumpp, Arthur S. Clegg and Albert Locher received the deed for the Masonic bodies on October 2, 1913.
Next in order was the forming of the Auburn Masonic Hall Association on December 3, 1913 with the following Brethren as the first Board of Directores: W. B. Lardner, A. S. Fleming, C. F. Richter, L. Buchanan, William G. Lee, Jessie Green, Selma Locher, M. D. Linninger, and G. W. Brundage.
The architect for the new temple was A. D. Fellows and a contract was let to Herdal Brothers of Auburn to erect the second story on the brick building which resulted in the completion of this beautiful temple.
The cost of the building and furniture in the sum of $55,000.00 far exceeded the first estimate, but the type of building and construction were far superior to that originally planned.
Mrs. D. W. Lubeck presented the Hall Association with $2,000.00 for furniture. This was in memory of her husband who had been a faithful worker for over forty years. Mrs. Lubeck was a Past Grand Treasurer of the Order of Eastern Star.
April 25, 1916 the new temple was dedicated by the Officers of the Grand Lodge of California, and Bro. Albert J. Locher, Worshipful Master of Eureka Lodge accepted the temple on behalf of all the Masonic bodies in Auburn.
Then came the years of war with World War I and many of the Brethren were called to the service of our country.
On September 2, 1919 Rising Star Lodge No. 83 of Forest Hill consolidated with Eureka.
Brighter years followed the war, but it was a constant struggle to sell the Masonic Hall stock and pay off the mortgage. However, on April 2, 1941 with Cecil G. Nagy as Worshipful Master of Eureka Lodge No. 16, and all the heads of the several Masonic Bodies present, Bros. H. M. Cooper, L. Huntley, and Guy W. Brundage, burned the mortgage and all the Masonic bodies offered a prayer of thankfulness.
Then came World War II and again many of our Brethren were called to the service of the country where they served with honor and distinction.
In reading the minutes of Eureka Lodge we find many interesting and unusual happenings such as:
Brother John McAninch, Past Master of Rising Star No. 83 presented Brother George McAulay with a 50-year jewel. The outstanding fact in this case was that Brother McAninch was the Worshipful Master who raised Brother McAulay on June 1, 1889.
Early day by-laws read, “Any Officer or member of the Lodge who shall be absent at a regular meeting shall pay a fine of one dollar, business and sickness excepted.” Then we read where the different Brethren were excused for non-attendance.
Minutes of the meeting of August 28, 1868 show that a basket of champagne was lost in transit, and many reports in the following meetings indicate that it was never found.
Petitions for affiliation were received in the early days and were read and balloted on at the same meeting. Some members were even admitted without a written form, simply upon the recommendation of another Brother.
One outstanding event of this kind happened on December 12, 1863 when Grand Master Belcher ordered the Lodge to receive and act upon the petition of Brother Wilmot for affiliation. He was duly elected to membership and then elected to Worshipful Master all in the same evening.
During the early days there were many Masonic trials, and suspension was a very common penalty for the non-payment of dues. Usually at the next meeting the members would be reinstated.
At the meeting of November 17, 1856 the Secretary was ordered to write a letter to non-affiliates asking them to “show the reason why they had not affiliated with the Lodge.”
In the old minutes of the Lodge, we find many entries of relief to war funds, flood, fire, famine and fever, as well as help to our local Brethren.
Since the beginning of Eureka Lodge with a membership of only 16, a small gain was made from 1851 to 1900 to a membership of 58. As we approach our 152th anniversary, there is a membership of 284 and a very bright and prosperous future ahead.