A Short History Of Houston Lodge No. 35 F & AM
Our lodge has a long and rich history. Space will hold me to just a few facts about our historic Lodge. Houston Lodge was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Georgia on November 6, 1844. Lodge meetings were held on Friday nights on full moons. Horses and carriages did not have head lights. Timothy M. Furlow was the Worshipful Master at chartering. During the early days of our Lodge, it was not uncommon for the Lodge to confer two degrees during a meeting night. In 1847, the Lodge paid the Grand Lodge dues in the amount of $38.00.
In August of 1850, the Lodge purchased a building and lot for the sum of $1,500 and the Lodge was moved to its present location. The ground floor has been rented to several different businesses. An insurance company, grocery store, gas station, bus station, gift shop, commercial printing company and a karate studio have all called the bottom floor of our Lodge home.
Our lodge has a foundation built of 16 by 16 timbers of old heart pine put together with pegs.
The second floor, where the Lodge hall is located also was home to a doctor, a bookkeeper and a dentist. The Lodge of old was complete with kerosene lamps, and a pot belly stove. In a closet in the anteroom there was a shaft for the 200 foot well, with bucket and rope. Hard wood chairs and floor adorned the Lodge room.
We now have central air and heat, carpet, running hot and cold water, indoor plumbing, electric lights, a motorized lift and the most comfortable chairs in the state. Gone are the offices. We now have a full kitchen and dinning room. A ladies lounge and restroom occupy the old dentist office.
Our member's list reads like a Who's Who of Houston County: judges, lawyers, doctors, principals, county commissioners, coaches. One member of our Lodge; holds the world's record for the most wins by a high school basketball coach ("Professor" Eric Staples, PM), another is a published author and a member of the University of Georgia Hall of Fame (Earl Cheek), another is a former U. S. Senator and Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee (Sam Nunn). But, like all Lodges we are no stronger than our brothers. We are blessed with a strong brotherhood.