"By virtue of the Constitution and Laws of the Most Worshipful, The Grand Lodge of Kentucky, Free and Accepted Masons and the power invested in me by the Grand Lodge I shall proceed to institute a new lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in this place, to be known as Shively Lodge, Under Dispensation, and set it regularly to work."

    "In the name and authority of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Kentucky I do proclaim that Shively Lodge, F. & A. M. Under Dispensation, of Shively, Ky. has been duly instituted in conformity to the rites of our Institution and the charges of our ancient and honorable Fraternity, and may our Heavenly Father prosper, direct and counsel you in all your doings."

    With these words said by Grand Master John R. Vinson, Jr., Cadiz, Ky., Shively Lodge U.D., F. & A. M. was born Friday night, March 25, 1960 in the Butler High School, 2222 Crums Lane Shively, Ky.

    Before this event could take place, a lot of planning, work and prepara­tion had to take place. In the fall of 1959 Brother Luther C. Scott asked Brother Stanley W. Crawley, Jr. about going ahead with plans to start a Masonic Lodge in Shively, Ky. Rumors that a West End Lodge was moving to Shively had not materialized. A survey was taken and we found there were more than the necessary fifteen Master Masons needed to form a new lodge. In January 1960 notices were circulated that all Master Masons in­terested in forming a new Masonic Lodge to meet at the home of Brother Howard C. Reeves on February 6, 1960.

    We had three preparation meetings during February and March. We filled out a petition to the Grand Lodge to grant permission for a new Masonic Lodge in Shively, Ky. We decided that the name would be Shively Lodge, that we would meet on the first and third Saturday nights of the month and that each Charter Member would pay a fee of $25.00 to give the lodge some working capital. Butler High School was decided upon as the regular meeting place for our lodge, which was to be our home for our first three years.

    When on March 25, 1960, Grand Master Vinson set Shively Lodge, U.D. to work, thirty-three of thirty-five lodges in Jefferson County had voted favorable for us to start a new lodge. There were two hundred fifty Master Masons present, representing fifty-three lodges from Kentucky and other states to see this new lodge born.

    The following officers were installed by Brother Al. E. Orton P.G.M., Grand Secretary, assisted by Brother Albert Phillips, Grand Treasurer, as Marshal. Stanley W. Crawley, Jr., Master; Edwin R. Acree, Sr. Warden; How­ard C. Reeves, Jr. Warden; Ray Cook, Treasurer; Richard E. Lyons, Secretary; E. Robert Merrick, Jr., Sr. Deacon; Joseph A. Davis, Jr. Deacon; Clifford Porritt, Sr. Steward; Henry H. Albro, Jr. Steward; Donald Stoelting, Tiler; and Luther C. Scott, Chaplain.

    Shively Lodge received their charter from the Grand Lodge of Kentucky, F. & A. M. on October 20, 1960, to be known as Shively Lodge No. 951, F. & A. M. Brother James B. Patrick, D.D.G.M. No. 16, made the official presentation of our Charter to our lodge on November 5, 1960. All of our meetings were held in the TV room of Butler High School, 2222 Crums Lane, Shively, Ky.

    On June 16, 1962 a motion was made by Brother Elmer Gatewood and seconded by Brother Edwin R. Acree, P.M., that Shively Lodge build a lodge hall on Hillview Avenue between Garrs Lane and Neville Drive. The Lodge hall to be 50' x 90' with the lodge room on the second floor, five offices on the first floor and dining facilities in the basement. That the lodge sell $50 and $100 bonds to help finance the building. This was brought to a vote on July 7, 1962, and carried unanimously. Brother Oliver Wilding was our architect and designer of plans for our lodge hall. Excavation of the base­ment began on August 22, 1962, with Grand Master C. J. Hyde riding a bulldozer.

    The Cornerstone laying took place on a beautiful fall day. On Sunday, September 30, 1962, about 200 Masons, officers and members of many lodges, formed on the parking lot at Garrs Lane and Dixie Highway and marched to the site of the new lodge hall, with the DeMolay for Boys leading the way. Altogether there were about 300 people who witnessed Grand Master C. J. Hyde laying the Cornerstone. Our contractor was Brother Howard C. Reeves Master of Shively Lodge for 1962.

    The first meeting in the new lodge hall was held on December 15, 1962, the last meeting Brother Reeves was to preside as Master. The minutes for that night read: "At this meeting for the first time in our new hall we had a very nice attendance of about 85 Brethren. The hall was not completed, the ceiling tile and floor tile were not on yet, final light fixtures were not installed, the floor tiers were not sanded and shellacked yet nor had any permanent furniture been installed. This was a most enjoyable meeting in spite of some inconveniences, Brotherhood prevailed, everyone being deeply proud of the progress of our new hall, and the feeling was that we were now at home." This has been the home of Shively Lodge No. 951, F. & A. M. now for better than 22 years.

    Our lodge hall was built with most of the labor coming from the volun­teer help of our members. Only that which we could not do ourselves did we have outside contractors do. These Masons worked every night and all day Saturdays until the building was completed.

    An agreement was worked out with Sunset Lodge No. 915, F. & A. M. to borrow $45,000 on a twenty year loan, which was received on April 18, 1963. We also had second mortgages of $20,000 to Brother Ray Cook; $14,000 to Brother Howard C. Reeves; $5,000 to Brother James Smith and we had sold $16,000 of the $50 and $100 building bonds. We therefore had an indebtedness upon the completion of building our lodge hall, of $100,000.00.

    During Brother Edwin R. Acree's second year as Master, 1963, we showed our greatest net gain of membership in one year, 82.

     Our Lodge Hall was dedicated on Sunday, August 18, 1963. Grand Master James W. Elam presided at this meeting, which was open to the public. We had about 200 people in attendance for this enjoyable occasion.

    In 1964 under the leadership of our Master, Brother Joseph A. Davis, we started publishing a lodge paper known as "The Shively Freemason" which has been published each year since.

    Shively Lodge was saddened by the death of Past Master Howard C. Reeves on April 8, 1965. The memorial in the minutes read "While many of our members worked long and hard, the credit for the building of our lodge hall, more than to any other Brother belongs to our Past Master Reeves, for the location of the lot, study of the plans, the source of materials and credit for them, until we could pay, and the long hours he spent on the site, day after day, overseeing and inspecting the labor until it was completed. This building will remain a memorial for his love and labor for our lodge and this community."

    On June 5, 1965, the lodge voted to name our building the "Howard C. Reeves Masonic Building", that an aluminum plaque, with his name be placed on the front of the building and that a picture of Brother Reeves be placed in the entrance hall.

    After 1965 the lodge paid off such $50 and $100 bonds when the members requested that they needed their money due to hardship, etc. Also during the next few years we paid off our second mortgages.

    At our Charter Anniversary Dinner on October 26, 1970, our Master, Charles E. Singleton presented a check to Brother Robert L. Boling, Master of Sunset Lodge No. 915, F. & A. M. for the final payment on the mortgage of Shively Lodge Hall. This was a very happy occasion. During 1971, the lodge paid off the remainder of our $50 and $100 bonds becoming debt free.

    In 1976 our lodge purchased a lot behind us from the State of Kentucky for additional parking. In 1978 through the efforts, leadership and hard work of Brother William T. Ashby, P.M., and Chairman of our Building Committee, the lodge entered a long term lease of a portion of this lot to Holiday Inn for parking which will financially benefit our lodge for years to come.

    In 1983 the lodge built a ramp to our side door so that our members who use walkers or wheelchairs will have easy access into the building at the elevator where they can either go up to the Lodge Hall or down to the dining room with ease.

    Through the years Shively Lodge has remembered that charity is one of our principal tenets. Each year our lodge has contributed to our needy mem­bers, widows, Rainbow for Girls, Job's Daughters, DeMolay for Boys, children at the Masonic Widows and Orphans' Home and the St. John's Day League. In 1979, during Brother Roy Gribbons' year as Master, Shively Lodge furn­ished all the furniture and equipment needed in a new room at the Infirmary at the Masonic Widows and Orphans' Home. This room has a plaque on the outside wall stating that Shively Lodge furnished this room.

    Shively Lodge has had a wonderful past and we believe the lodge will have an even greater future. The lodge has always had dedicated Officers and Members which will ensure its future.

    Our present Master, Bobby Woodruff, is making big plans for the cele­bration of our Charter Anniversary Dinner in honor of our twenty-five years which is to be on October 19, 1985.