Highland Lodge No. 110, A.F.& A.M.

                                                              Monterey, Virginia

Highland Lodge No. 110 was organized May 20, 1869, at Monterey, Virginia. It operated under dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Virginia until December of that year when it received the official charter from the Grand Lodge, bearing the date of December 10, 1869.

The following were charter members. J. C. Newman, A. W. Campbell, W. M. Chew, G. W. Fraley, P. H. Kinkead, Konrad Kramer, William Kinkead, S. A. Gilmore, S. A. Wilson, J. M. Chidster, L. H. Stephenson, T. H. Slaven, J. A. Bussard, J. E. Arbogast, John Trimble, S. M. Wilson, Charles W. Peterson, J. T. Huff, S. C. Matheny, A. H. Fleisher, H. M. Tomlinson, A. R. Ball, S. R. Snap, John Waybright, and H. M. Patterson. 

The Lodge held it's meetings in a part of the building known as the Female Seminary until March 1873, when they acquired space in which to meet from the County Board of Supervisors in the county courthouse. The meetings were held there until 1881. In September 1880, a lot was purchased from Mr. & Mrs. John Trimble. It was the extreme north part of lot No.1 of the original plot of the town of Monterey and southwest of the adjoining Female Seminary property.

A building was erected on this lot, which is now a private residence. The cornerstone of the Lodge building was laid April 6, 1881. It was completed during the year and the first Lodge meeting in the new building was held December 2, 1881. The Lodge met there until October 1, 1909, when the property was sold. They moved to the Odd Fellows hall on the third floor of the Sieg building opposite the courthouse and met there until 1911.

In 1909, the Lodge purchased from the First National Bank of Highland, that part of lot No. l facing High Street and west of the bank building. They proceeded to build the present Masonic Temple, laying the cornerstone on August 3, 1910. The building was completed in 1911. The first meeting of the Lodge was held in the new temple on the third floor on November 3 of that year.

Since 1975, the building has been completely repaired and remodeled inside and out. There are three commercial rental offices on the first floor, one office and one residential apartment on the second floor and a very large meeting room and lounge area on the third floor, which is used by the Lodge.