wwinger
Registered User
Point Isabel 33, located in Port Isabel, TX, across the bridge from South Padre Island, in spite of its home in the loft of an old wooden warehouse, claims as members, some of the best known Masons in Texas. Probably best known to 'Masons of Texas' is Bill Lins, :huh: a charter member of the lodge whose 'A' certificate hangs proudly on our walls.
We also have some lesser known members, :001_smile: such as five Past Grand Masters of Texas, the current Grand Master, the Grand Senior Warden, the Grand Junior Warden and the Grand Treasurer, all of whom, excepting the Grand Senior Warden, are also charter members. In addition the lodge has been visited by several Past Grand Masters from other jurisdictions. One of those, a Past Grand Master of Missouri, visits several times each year and visited first when he was Grand Master of that jurisdiction.
The lodge has an incredible history, dating back to 1846 when members of General Zachery Taylor's army, stationed in the area, first petitioned the Grand Lodge of Texas and were assigned the number 33. However, because the army moved before the paper-work could be completed and delivered, the lodge never met until December of 2007 when its charter was issued by the Grand Lodge of Texas and the lodge set to work by then Grand Master Griffin.
PGM Mike Gower was the founder and first Worshipful Master of the lodge. He set standards of excellence that we still try to maintain today. Although he moved from our area to San Antonio a year ago, he is still a leading participant in our activities.
The Square and Compasses Coffee Club, started by R.W. Gower a year before the lodge was chartered, continues to meet, socially and educationally, every Wednesday morning at 9:00 AM. We meet at the lodge, but un-tiled. Discussion topics are not always Masonic but always educational. The discussions are not always remembered but the coffee and B.T.'s cinnamon rolls :44: are now well known in numerous North American jurisdictions.
During most of the year, the Square and Compasses Coffee Club has more visitors from other jurisdictions than from Texas. The number attending has been as low as three, (a meeting held as hurricane Dolly passed through the area), but has also exceeded seventy. Ten to twenty in summer months is normal, thirty to fifty in winter.
Our stated meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of each month. We also have lodge social gatherings about once a quarter and confer degrees. Point Isabel 33 has the distinguishment of being the ONLY lodge in Texas to have successfully conferred all three GRADED degrees in one 24 hour period. We try to maintain similar standards of excellence for all of our degrees.
When you visit the area I hope you will visit our lodge. It may not look like much but I can assure you that the Masonry is alive and well. Replying to this post will generate an email to me. Tell me when you are coming and I will let you know what activities we have in store at that time.
We also have some lesser known members, :001_smile: such as five Past Grand Masters of Texas, the current Grand Master, the Grand Senior Warden, the Grand Junior Warden and the Grand Treasurer, all of whom, excepting the Grand Senior Warden, are also charter members. In addition the lodge has been visited by several Past Grand Masters from other jurisdictions. One of those, a Past Grand Master of Missouri, visits several times each year and visited first when he was Grand Master of that jurisdiction.
The lodge has an incredible history, dating back to 1846 when members of General Zachery Taylor's army, stationed in the area, first petitioned the Grand Lodge of Texas and were assigned the number 33. However, because the army moved before the paper-work could be completed and delivered, the lodge never met until December of 2007 when its charter was issued by the Grand Lodge of Texas and the lodge set to work by then Grand Master Griffin.
PGM Mike Gower was the founder and first Worshipful Master of the lodge. He set standards of excellence that we still try to maintain today. Although he moved from our area to San Antonio a year ago, he is still a leading participant in our activities.
The Square and Compasses Coffee Club, started by R.W. Gower a year before the lodge was chartered, continues to meet, socially and educationally, every Wednesday morning at 9:00 AM. We meet at the lodge, but un-tiled. Discussion topics are not always Masonic but always educational. The discussions are not always remembered but the coffee and B.T.'s cinnamon rolls :44: are now well known in numerous North American jurisdictions.
During most of the year, the Square and Compasses Coffee Club has more visitors from other jurisdictions than from Texas. The number attending has been as low as three, (a meeting held as hurricane Dolly passed through the area), but has also exceeded seventy. Ten to twenty in summer months is normal, thirty to fifty in winter.
Our stated meetings are held on the fourth Thursday of each month. We also have lodge social gatherings about once a quarter and confer degrees. Point Isabel 33 has the distinguishment of being the ONLY lodge in Texas to have successfully conferred all three GRADED degrees in one 24 hour period. We try to maintain similar standards of excellence for all of our degrees.
When you visit the area I hope you will visit our lodge. It may not look like much but I can assure you that the Masonry is alive and well. Replying to this post will generate an email to me. Tell me when you are coming and I will let you know what activities we have in store at that time.