HPR Masonic Lodge

Town Hall & Lyceum

Update

HPR's long term restoration project remains on hold as we await the completion of the visitor center project and further funding. Since stewardship of the building was granted to HPR in 1997, we have cleaned out the building, stabilized its exterior walls, installed new sub-flooring on all of the second floor and some of the first, replaced rotting wood lintels and repaired/replaced brickwork above windows, and most importantly, placed a new metal roof over the structure.

Although we are far from content with our progress, we do feel like the building is now mostly stable and that it's deterioration will be minimal at this point. HPR will continue to seek funding whenever possible to insure that this very important structure will survive for future generations to enjoy.

History of the building

On June 1, 1851, 35 Port Royal citizens agreed to subscribe 52 shares at $50 per share (a total of $2,700) for the construction of a new "Town Hall & Lyceum" behind Lot 20 on King St. This brick two-storied structure with cellar still stands, though now in dilapidated condition. All original documents pertaining to the construction of the building are still intact, and comprise the only full documentation of any structure in Port Royal. "Harkness" was the architect, and Thomas D. Lumpkin of Port Royal signed the contract as builder. The building committee for the town was William Gray (before his death as first treasurer), Dr. John J. Gravatt (2nd treasurer), Dr. Edmund P. White, Apollos Boutwell, and Dr. Charles Urquhart. The land was sold to the committee for $75 by Mrs. Elizabeth Gray, Isabella Gray, Evelina P. Gray, and Ann Lewis Gray. William Gray had agreed to furnish part of his Lot 20 for the new building; on January 12, 1852 gray was seriously injured by a fall from the portico of the Powhatan House hotel in Richmond, and died eight days later, January 20, 1853. By December 9, 1854, the Town Hall & Lyceum was completed. Many subscribers failed to meet their obligations to pay for their "shares," and the rooms were used in various ways to raise building costs. A singing school, a "photographist," a magician, and George Fitzhugh's Academy made use of the rooms; the Masonic Lodge rented the two rooms on the second floor.
(from Hidden Village by Ralph E. Fall)

A Masonic Lodge was formed here in 1754 and in the following year the "Lodge at Port Royal" applied to Kilwinning Lodge in Scotland for a charter. The request was framed by the Junior Warden, Brother John Crosse, and was sent to his father, David, a member of "Mother" Kilwinning Lodge at St. Kilwinning Abbey near Glasgow. By the time this request was received the Grand Lodge of Scotland had assumed the responsibilities for issuing charter, so Kilwinning Lodge passed the request on to them. The Grand Lodge of Scotland honored this request and on December 1, 1755, granted the Lodge at Port Royal a charter, with the rather cumbersome name of "Kilwinning Port Royal Crosse Lodge." This was the first charter granted by the Grand Lodge or Scotland to a Lodge in the American colonies. The original 1775 charter has survived and is now in the possession of the Grand Lodge of Virginia.

The Port Royal Lodge remained active throughout the Revolutionary War, and its members played an important part during the 1777 and 1778 meetings that led to the formation of the Grand Lodge of Virginia. Brother James Kemp, from Port Royal Kilwinning Crosse Lodge, acted as Secretary for several of those meetings. When, in 1786, the newly-formed Grand Lodge of Virginia assigned precedence to existing Lodges, Port Royal Kilwinning Crosse Lodge was assigned the number 2, after the Norfolk Lodge, successor to the Royal Exchanged Lodge of Norfolk, which had received a warrant from the Grand Lodge of England in 1773 and a charter in 1741.

During its early years, the Lodge at Port Royal met in various taverns or private residences in the town. For reasons unclear, the Lodge went dark in 1848, but very shortly thereafter attempted to resume its labors, and was granted a dispensation by the Grand Lodge. In 1852, the Lodge reported that it was having difficulty finding an appropriate meeting place. That year, however, the town of Port Royal decided to build a new Town Hall, with a second story available for undetermined uses. There is no doubt but that it was to be a Masonic meeting place. The only entrance to the second story was via an outside stairway, towards the rear of the building, which led to two small adjoining rooms which were adjacent to a much larger rectangular room. Each small room had a single door leading into the larger room, and were themselves connected by a single door.

A most interesting event occurred during the latter years of the Civil War when Port Royal was occupied by Union troops. In 1864 the Lodge room was broken into by a Yankee soldier, who stole the silver officers' jewels, originally a gift to the Lodge from Brother David Crosse, a member of Kilwinning Lodge in Scotland and the father of the John Crosse who wrote the letter requesting the original charter. Bragging about the fine silver items he found, he attracted the attention of Brother Emory Packard, a Union soldier and member of Paul Revere Lodge in Brockton, Mass.

Brother Packard, recognizing the significance of the stolen jewels, first attempted to cajole the thief into returning them, or giving them to Packard for safekeeping. When this failed, he next offered to buy the items. This was not easy, for as Packard stated, "there was little money in the army." After some effort, he finally managed to beg and borrow enough funds to purchase the items from the thief, and then had them shipped to his Lodge in Massachusetts for safe keeping until the "current unpleasantness" came to an end.

After the war the brothers of Paul Revere Lodge returned these historic Masonic jewels to Port Royal and they are now in the possession of Kilwinning Crosse Lodge No. 2-237, of Bowling Green, the successor to the Lodge at Port Royal.

Restoration of the old Town Hall/Masonic Hall at Port Royal has commenced, helped considerably by a $24,000 grant from the Commonwealth of Virginia for that purpose. The first floor will become a visitor center and the second story rooms, may, at the discretion of the Masonic community, be restored as a Masonic meeting place, a Masonic Museum, or both. Kilwinning Crosse Lodge No. 2-237 has been granted full authority to deal with the content and use of the upstairs Lodge room.

While the grant from the Commonwealth has permitted work to start - the structure is being reinforced and the roof is soon to be replaced, much more effort, and funds, will be required before the Town Hall/Masonic Hall will be usable. Those desiring to assist in this project are requested to send fully tax-deductible donations to: Make check payable to Historic Port Royal Inc., Right Worshipful Thomas Lewis, PO Box 236, Bowling Green, VA 22427 Kilwinning Crosse No. 2-237.
(taken from article in The Virginia Masonic Herald 8/1999)

This impressive structure, in spite of its very poor condition, is a fine example of the Greek Revival commercial/organizational building. In the mid-19th century many such buildings which combined various functions were constructed across the country. Although Port Royal had declined greatly since the boom years of the 18th century, the size of this building indicates that wealth was still held by some citizens.

The Kilwinning Port Royal Crosse Lodge, Number 2, is one of the oldest Masonic Lodges in the country. Although it's original charter (from the Grand Lodge of Scotland, dated 1 December, 1755) is generally conceded to be the oldest in existence of any in the country, the Port Royal Lodge ranks number two in Virginia, after that in Norfolk.

The Port Royal Lodge took a leading part in the philanthropic, social and fraternal life of Port Royal, Caroline County, and the adjacent areas of Virginia throughout the colonial period and into the 19th century.