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About the Lodge
When the Pacific Great Eastern (PGE) Railroad completed construction from Squamish north to Quesnel in 1919, it heralded the start of a community in what is now “downtown Williams Lake”. With the railroad came construction, maintenance, and train crews, several of whom were Freemasons. Interest grew in the area to form a new Masonic Lodge. With no suitable space to rent, they built their own. The Williams Lake Temple Association was Filed and Registered November 26, 1924 pursuant to the Societies Act.
In June, 1925, a two-story frame building was ready for occupancy, at a cost of $4000. A Government Liquor Store was the first tenant, on the ground floor (1926 – 1945). Cariboo Home Furnishings were second. The building was extended in length to the “back alley” in 1946 to accommodate the tenant’s need for more space. They were followed by the Sweet Sixteen store until 1975. In May of 1975 the ground floor was leased to Lake Footwear Ltd, and assigned to Walk Rite Shoe Store in August, 1978. The shoe store is here today.
On the afternoon of August 15, 1970, a fire originating in the Sweet Sixteen store totally destroyed the Temple and an adjoining building. There was $60,000 insurance on the building and contents. A mortgage was secured through the head office of the Bank of Montreal to complete a new building on the same site at a cost of approximately $104,000. The first meeting was held in the new Lodge facility in May, 1971, a remarkable tribute to the efforts of the Building Committee.
Location
130 Oliver Street, Williams Lake, British Columbia V2G1L8, Canada
Province
Lodges that meet here
Centre Lodge No. 113
The concept of forming a Masonic Lodge in the new community of Williams Lake began prior to June, 2024, when an assembly of Freemasons from various Mother Lodges petitioned Quesnel Lodge No. 69 to sponsor them as a Lodge of Instruction.
To continue with the formation of a new Lodge a Past Master had to be among the founding Brethren. It was remembered that a rancher in the Miocene/Horsefly area had been the Master of Aagenteuil Lodge No. 67 in Quebec, some fifty years previous.
Worshipful Brother Joseph Phillip Patenaude, then 84 years old, agreed to join the group and served as the first Worshipful Master of Centre Lodge for the 1926-27 term.
This required a horseback ride of over 30 miles and an overnight stay in town to attend meetings. Our dedicated Brother passed away January 29, 1929. Reportedly, another founding Brother, James Wiggins, would travel from Horsefly to Barkerville (45 miles “as the crow flies") on horseback via the prospector’s trails to attend Lodge.
Centre Lodge No. 113 was Instituted January 26, 1926, and Constituted August 18th the same year, in Most Worshipful Grand Master D.W. Sutherland’s term of office.
The Lodge was named “Centre Lodge” with reference to its central location in the Cariboo. The Lodge chose the “Canadian Work” as practiced in Quesnel Lodge No. 69.
The founding members of the Lodge were from varying backgrounds, including ranchers, merchants and the forest industry. However, at least ten of the original twenty-four were associated with the PGE railroad, which arrived in 1919. A photo in the Lodge shows fourteen Freemasons standing near a steam locomotive, tender, and passenger car in Williams Lake prior a trip north to Lodge in Quesnel. (A very
convenient train service in those days!)
The original building was destroyed by fire in August, 1970. From that autumn until April, 1971, meetings and degree work were held in the basement hall of St. Peter’s Anglican Church. The last meeting there was an Emergent April 24th to receive Most Worshipful Brother Nicolas Mussallem on his Official Visit to District No. 4.
The May and June meetings of that year were held in the refreshment room, as the new wool carpet had not arrived from Scotland. The regular meeting in September and those since have been in the new Lodge room. The new building was officially opened November 20, 1971, with Deputy Grand Master, Right Worshipful Brother Coffin in attendance.
At the regular meeting June 02, 1971, a motion was made and passed “That Centre Lodge give our sanction for them (!00 Mile House Fraternal Club) to operate under us as a Lodge of Instruction.” Thus began Mt. Begbie Lodge No. 183 in 100 Mile House, BC.
In addition to support to Brethren and Widows of Freemasons, Centre Lodge and the Temple Association annually provide $1500 in bursaries to graduating students in School District #27.
As with many fraternal and service organizations, membership has declined over the years from fifty-four on the records in 1930 to thirty-seven at the end of 2023.
