Colonial Beach Lodge No. 199, A.F. & A.M.

                                                         Colonial Beach, Virginia

For a few years prior to 1909, some members of Westmoreland Lodge No. 212, Kinsale Virginia, considered forming a Lodge in the northern part of Westmoreland County for the convenience of the Brethren living in that area. The journey from the Colonial Beach area to Kinsale required two days by sailboat or one day by steamboat on the Potomac River. Roads from the Colonial Beach area to Kinsale were generally nonexistent and those that were available were very poor.

Finally, procedures for forming a new Lodge in Colonial Beach, Virginia, were initiated, paraphernalia obtained, a meeting place found, and a petition submitted via the District Deputy Grand Master to the Grand Lodge of Virginia.

In February 1910, at the Grand Lodge session, Tacoma Lodge No. 199 was declared extinct because they had not submitted any Returns to the Grand Lodge for the past three years. This number was reassigned to Colonial Beach Lodge, Under Dispensation, when the Grand Lodge granted the charter

The first communication of Colonial Beach Lodge, Under Dispensation, was held on March 15, 1909, and it was decided to hold meetings on the first and third Mondays of each month at 7:30 P.M. The meeting place was the second floor of the Colonial Beach Town Hall and the annual dues were $4.00 per year. Fees for the three degrees were a total of $30.00, ($10.00 for each degree).

The Lodge grew rapidly with a total of twenty petitions during 1909. Worshipful Brother Frank Trift, Past Master of Westmoreland Lodge No. 212 was the first Worshipful Master. Some building lots were purchased for the purpose of constructing a Lodge building. However, it would be fourteen years before the Lodge building would be completed.

Colonial Beach Lodge No. 199 was dedicated and consecrated on March 23, 1910, at Colonial Beach, Virginia, according to the form and ceremonies prescribed by the Grand Lodge of Virginia. By 1913, attendance was very poor and the number of petitions for Degrees had decreased considerably. From the years, 1914 to 1922, the membership grew slowly and the attendance at meetings varied from extremely good to poor.

Beginning in 1923, the membership of the Lodge grew rapidly and the attendance at meetings was very good. The year, 1924, was the busiest and most exciting year in the history of the Lodge. For this was the year Colonial Beach Lodge No. 199 started and completed their temple. On June 21, 1924, a special communication was held for the purpose of laying the cornerstone for the temple and on December 1, 1924, the temple was dedicated. The cost for building the temple was $6,800.00. This amount was borrowed from the Bank of Westmoreland, Colonial Beach, Virginia.

From 1925 to 1944, the membership remained fairly constant ranging from a high of 123 members to a low of 92 members. The major topic of discussion during this period focused on the repayment of the loan for building the temple. On January 7, 1944, the final payment on the Lodge building was made to the Bank of Westmoreland. After the repayment of the loan, repairs and maintenance to the temple surfaced periodically and have continued to the present time.

On January 7, 1949, the policy of mailing a monthly bulletin to the membership was begun and has continued to the present time. Colonial Beach Lodge No.199 celebrated their 50^th Anniversary on June 25, 1960, and a history of the Lodge was presented at this meeting. However, it was not until 1977 that a history of the Lodge was written and published. The Lodge authorized 300 copies of this Lodge history to be published and distributed. In 1985, the Lodge celebrated their 75^th anniversary and again a history of the Lodge was presented at this meeting.