Norview Lodge No. 113, A.F. & A.M.

                                                               Norfolk, Virginia

Norview Lodge No. 113 was formed in 1949 by a group of thirteen Master Masons living in the area of Norview, in Norfolk County, just outside of the city limits of Norfolk, Virginia.

The first meeting, and all subsequent organizational meetings, were held upstairs at Murdens Drug Store on Cottage Toll Road, now Tidewater Drive.

The thirteen original members were:

George Austin, Sr.                              Robert Benjamin Boyd

Jackson C. Burgess                             Thomas James Foreman, Sr.

Thomas James Foreman, Jr.                Wallace L. Gardner

Luther D. Gillikin                               Melville Holmes Harrison

Nicholas Johns                                    Fonzo Langford

A. Otto Lynch                                                McDonald Meadows

Willis W. Sykes, Jr.

A dispensation was applied for and Most Worshipful A. Douglas Smith, Jr., Grand Master of Masons in Virginia delivered it on August 26, 1949.

An unused church building at 1129 Hugo Street was rented for the occasion and the first meeting under dispensation was held. Officers were elected and appointed, bylaws were adopted and petitions were received.

The following officers served under dispensation:

George Austin, Sr.                  Worshipful Master

Melville H. Harrison               Senior Warden

Jackson C. Burgess                 Junior Warden

The first annual stated communication was held on December 21, 1949

The charter was granted on February 15, 1950 and it was delivered, and the Lodge constituted on February 24, 1950 by Most Worshipful T. Penn Coleman, Past Grand Master.

The following officers were installed:

George Austin, Sr.                  Worshipful Master

Melville H. Harrison               Senior Warden

Jackson C. Burgess                 Junior Warden

Wallace L. Gardner                 Treasurer

C. C. Atkinson                        Secretary

Thomas J. Foreman, Sr.           Senior Deacon

Robert B. Boyd                      Junior Deacon

Truman George Shurtleff        Chaplain

Fonzo Langford                      Tiler

The Lodge prospered and has continued to do so through the years, drawing its members and strength from the large military population, both active and retired, and form the huge national defense complex in the area.

The Lodge bought the “old church” and repaired it so that it could be used as a Lodge. During the first years plans were made to build a new Lodge and the house next door was purchased and work was started at 1125 Hugo Street. The members did most of the work and on March 31, 1963 the cornerstone was laid. The new Lodge building was completed and the first meeting was held on November 22, 1963.

In 1988, improvements totaling more than thirty thousand dollars were made to the building.

In 1983, the Lodge was invited by the Grand Lodge of London to visit America Lodge No 3368. A report about the visit was published in the “Virginia Masonic Herald.”