Roanoke Route Walking Tour Stop 7: Masonic Lodge

Masonic Lodge, 1908

300 N. Oak St.

The Roanoke Masonic Lodge received its charter in 1888 and has been located on Oak Street since the construction of the building in 1908. In 1991, it was honored with a state historical marker.

The lodge's origins trace back to Elizabethtown–an older settlement west of Roanoke–in 1871. A group of men petitioned the Grand Lodge of Texas to charter the W.C. Young Lodge, which was granted in 1872. However, this lodge dissolved in 1885 due to low attendance and the absence of a consistent meeting place. Roanoke Lodge was granted a new charter but faced similar challenges and, at one point, rented space in a building owned by Jim Medlin for $5 a month. A building committee purchased the current lot and swiftly erected this enduring structure.

At one point the building fulfilled multiple roles in the community, serving as both a meeting space and the town hall. It also was the stopping point for Texas Rangers law enforcement. However, in 1981 the growing traffic demands prompted the Masons to relocate the building 60 feet back on the lot, as it had encroached upon the property line, making its former position impractical to manage.

The Masonic Lodge circa 1912, just after it was built in 1908.

The Masonic Lodge was built right on the edge of the street, and increased traffic forced the Masons to move it 60 feet back on the lot in 1981. 

The Lodge—shown here in 1953—also served as Roanoke’s central meeting place and town hall for many years.