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About the Lodge
Revelstoke Freemasons held their first lodge meetings in 1891 in a drafty upstairs portion of the Bourne Brothers building on Track Street. A first order of business was installing a new wood stove, which the Brethren would manage without for several winters. One frigid evening in 1898 the Secretary renewed this request in the minutes using pencil as the inkwell had frozen solid.
The Lodge quickly outgrew its chilly confines. An influx of workers relocated to Revelstoke from nearby shuttered CPR communities, and in 1900, the new members moved across town to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Hall.
There they formed a ways-and-means committee to finance the construction of a new temple. A building was constructed on two lots at the corner of First Street and Boyle Avenue. After years of fundraising, it was opened in 1914, and in 1928, members symbolically burned the mortgage to signify successful property ownership.
The Lodge now in use is in the upper storey of a building on Mackenzie Avenue previously called Yingling Block. It was purchased in1950 and renamed Freemasons Hall in 1995.
Disaster struck in November 2003 when a fire destroyed the adjoining building. Freemasons Hall survived but suffered extensive water and smoke damage from the blaze. It required quick action and major repairs to the rafters and roof to withstand the coming winter snow load.
Kootenay Lodge No. 15 stands today as a symbol of purpose, reflecting the dedicated care and investment of its members to the community of Revelstoke in addition to being a comfortable place for meetings and activities.
Location
209 Mackenzie Avenue, Revelstoke, British Columbia V0E 2S0, Canada
Lodges that meet here
Kootenay Lodge No. 15
Kootenay Lodge No. 15 dates back to before Revelstoke was Revelstoke. A dispute between the Canadian Pacific Railway and the owner of the land around Farwell spelled the Lodge’s first challenge – choosing a name. Luckily, a contact in the Provincial Surveyor-General's office informed members that the lodge would fall within Kootenay County, so they named it Kootenay Lodge No. 15.
The first regular Lodge meeting was held on May 18, 1891, followed by the installation of officers on October 16, 1891. When the CPR relocated its divisional headquarters from Donald, B.C. to Revelstoke in 1898, many workers transferred their membership and Kootenay Lodge No. 15 grew overnight.
Freemasonry in Revelstoke has experienced periods of growth and decline, most notably with changes to railway services and construction of hydro-electric projects at Mica Creek and Revelstoke. As new Brethren came to Revelstoke they brought a resurgence in enthusiasm and dedication to the craft.
Kootenay Lodge No. 15 has held many notable commemorations over the course of its history. In October 1919, a banquet was organized as a tribute to honour 30 fallen Brethren from Kootenay Lodge who served in the Great War. In 1941, Kootenay Lodge marked a half-century of Masonic brotherhood with a donation, parade, and dance.
Revelstoke Freemasons continue to participate in local events, foster connections with regional lodges, and share broadly the values of integrity, benevolence, and fraternity. The Lodge’s long history of camaraderie and dedication to Masonic principles is thanks to the dedication of its members and continued welcoming of new ones.
