SALMON ARM MASONIC HALL

Salmon Arm Lodge 52

Salmon Arm Lodge No. 52 was established at the Northern end of the Okanagan Valley on the shores of the Salmon Arm of the Shuswap Lake (originally known by the local indigenous word “Seh-Huap”).  Salmon Arm was a prosperous community and local Freemasons wanted a Lodge.  The village, as it was then, was in the jurisdiction of Enderby Lodge No. 40, however the members of that Lodge recognized that it was too far to expect the brethren from Salmon Arm to be regular attendees in Enderby.  Enderby Lodge encouraged the formation of a new Lodge in Salmon Arm and the usual steps were taken.  On July 8th, 1908, the Grand Master of British Columbia (Yukon would later join the jurisdiction), Most Worshipful Brother William K. Houston, issued dispensation to form a lodge.  Salmon Arm Lodge was duly instituted on July 26th, 1909.

Our Lodge performs the Canadian Ritual, as adopted from our mother lodge in Enderby. The first Worshipful Master of the Lodge was Worshipful Brother William Valentine Leonard, one of Salmon Arm’s successful farmers, and a former Past Master of Royal Hanover Lodge No. 1777 ER of Twickenham, England. Twenty-eight members met to discuss the establishment of the original Lodge in Salmon Arm.  The Lodge was visited by J.N. Taylor, District Deputy Grand Master on July 28th, 1909, and on commission from Grand Lodge, he Constituted Salmon Arm Lodge No. 52.  Right Worshipful Brother Taylor then proceeded to install the officers for the ensuing year.

The brethren originally met in a towered building on Lakeshore Drive, however the original building had no insulation.  It was Tyler’s job to arrive about two hours prior to the meeting and light the wood stove.  The building was later destroyed by fire.  From early Lodge notes we read the first meetings were held across from the present location of Askew’s grocery store at 30 Lakeshore Drive. The building exists to this day, with a women’s shoe store occupying the ground floor. The building was owned by W.B. Lenard and W.B. Sam McGuire who collected $7.50 per month for rent from the Lodge.  It is noted in the minutes that the initiation fee for the Lodge was $50 and that eight applicants for initiation were received on August 5th, 1908.  Lodge meetings began between 8:15 and 8:45 pm; with numerous 10 minute “call outs”, assumed to be smoke breaks.  There were no intoxicants allowed at banquets during those early days.  One other item of interest discovered from the early records of Grand Lodge is that although many applications for initiation were received, not all were successful, with approximately 300 being rejected during the period from 1909 to 1921 throughout the province of British Columbia.

In January of 1922 the Lodge moved into its fine new building on Alexander Street.  It was considered, “a credit to the local organization”, by the Salmon Arm Observer. The building was called The Frank Robideau Building and was purchased for $2,500 with a $900 down payment.  Many members purchased a subscription which paid an 8% interest.  The layout of the original Lodge was like our building today, with the Lodge Room on the upper floor, but differed in that the street level consisted of a retail shop and the banquet room, and the basement level housed a barber shop and bath area as a review of the drains indicated.

The building did not have an exterior fire escape, and to this day, located to the left of the Master’s chair is a trap door which houses a length of hemp rope to be used by the members to slide down from the second story window in the event of fire; this brought the Lodge into compliance with The Fire Safety Act of 1894.  The hall now has an interior fire escape leading to the exterior. The original flooring in the banquet room was partially laid by some of the members wives, although some of the old-timers objected to ladies entering the premises.

Membership has fluctuated throughout the years but in our 100th anniversary year, Salmon Arm Lodge No. 52 had eighty-three (83) members.  Membership has increased recently both by initiation and affiliation.

This Lodge has been an important part of the Salmon Arm community these past 116 years and the brethren who started the Lodge should be acknowledged for their foresight and today’s brothers for their pride in continuing and growing that original idea.