# Lodge Membership



## Smokey613 (Jan 6, 2010)

In another thread, a discussion ran into maybe we have too many lodges. The thought being we needed to consolidate the smaller lodges into larger ones in the same area. That in turn led me to wonder what are the largest lodges in Texas by membership. I have compiled a small list using the information off the GLoT website. Now we all know this information is not kept updated for various reasons, but it should be close enough for my purpose. I also included 2 of the smallest lodges I found. Any corrections or additions are welcome. Just for the record... I vote we keep things as they are.


Tranquility Masonic Lodge #2000	Waco		1084

Park Place Masonic Lodge #1172	Houston	1047

Arlington Masonic Lodge #438	Arlington	736

Oak Cliff Masonic Lodge #705	Dallas		644

Pasadena Masonic Lodge #1155	Pasadena	564

Southside Masonic Lodge #1114	Fort Worth	562

Yellowhouse Masonic Lodge #841	Lubbock	561

Lufkin Masonic Lodge #669		Lufkin		552

Palo Duro Masonic Lodge #1239	Amarillo	534

St. John's Masonic Lodge #53	Tyler		496

Onion Creek Masonic Lodge #220	Austin		487

Hill City Masonic Lodge #456	Austin		476

Irving Masonic Lodge #1218		Irving		467

Tarrant Masonic Lodge #942		Fort Worth	465

Holland Masonic Lodge #1		Houston	453

Fraternity Masonic Lodge #1111	El Paso	405




Lone Star Masonic Lodge #660 	Houston	14

White Rock Masonic Lodge #347	Waco		13


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## JTM (Jan 6, 2010)

i'm not a huge fan of consolidation.


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## Jamesb (Jan 6, 2010)

I am; but the issue for me would be, who would decide which lodges to merge


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## Smokey613 (Jan 8, 2010)

While reading another thread I became curious about how Masonic membership has declined in the US since I first petitioned the lodge in 1987.

1987	2,763,828

2008  	1,444,823


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## david918 (Jan 8, 2010)

Found out last night at lodge that one of the lodges in our district was going to demise.Ganado #1055 will have their last meeting next month.


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## Smokey613 (Jan 8, 2010)

That is sad. I see where it was chartered in 1911. That is a long time to just fade away.


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## drapetomaniac (Jan 8, 2010)

One year from a centennial.


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## david918 (Jan 8, 2010)

Sure hate that they are closing I used to visit there a lot before I became a dual member of Wharton lodge which meets on the same night.I took my Chapter and Council degrees there before  we merged with the Chapter and Council in Port Lavaca. One of my grandfathers was a member there when he died and I had an uncle who was also a member of Ganado.They sold their building about 3 yrs ago and had been meeting in Edna and I'm surprised that they did not just merge with Edna instead of voting to turn in their charter.A sad case of too may deaths and no new members to take their places.


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## Smokey613 (Jan 9, 2010)

Not that I am a "spring chicken" but some lodges I have visited I think I was the youngest Mason there by a long shot and I am 57.


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## B.Eddlemon (Jan 9, 2010)

I was the youngest member in my lodge until about 5 months ago. I am 34 and the new member is 22. I have seen him at lodge 2 times, the first was ea int. and the second was when he turned in his work. Granted he is a full time college student. Most of our members are 70 or better. The rest are 5-15 year members. If you think about the human nature of men now compaired to 30-40 years ago there are alot of men out there who I know that I would rather not be associated with masonry. I hate to say that but I hold masonry on alot higher level than most of the people could live up to. I recently assisted my bro in law in being voted in at our lodge and he will int. soon. I love my lodge and hope that we never have to merge but if we do it wont cause me to stop going.


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## Bill Lins (Jan 10, 2010)

Smokey613 said:


> Not that I am a "spring chicken" but some lodges I have visited I think I was the youngest Mason there by a long shot and I am 57.


 
I resemble that! :biggrin:


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## fairbanks1363pm (Jan 10, 2010)

my opinion on lodges and membership here in the big city is that 50 years ago our lodges were in vibrant growing communities.  today many lodges are in what i would deem the ghetto.  my lodge is in what has become a commercial area. no new families or young men. we have done better than most with our membership and i feel blessed and at the same time dont know how we have done well.  but some of these other lodges in the houston area dont have much going at all.  i visited spring lodge the other night.  they are in a vibrant community and have people coming in left and right.  in a way feel we have shot our own selves in the foot by loving our buildings and the history they have more than our fraternity. i think if we put our heads together and stubborness aside we could get rid of about half the lodge buildings here in the houston area sell our properties, buy lots with other lodges in a more vibrant area and activity would breed activity,  more people would come to the door like the lodge i spoke of, taxes or finances would be cut into half or more.  i would hate to give up my building.  we have talked several times about this over the years.  as much as i would hate to move i would be willing to move in and share space for the betterment of my lodges finances and membership.
did not mean to rant!


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## Bill Lins (Jan 10, 2010)

I think Lodges sharing buildings or becoming "trunk" Lodges will be the future of our Fraternity. In the instance of my parent Lodge, which became a "trunk" Lodge, we are now spending our money & time on Masonic objectives instead of giving it to the utility & insurance companies. The economics of each individual Lodge owning their own building just don't work any more. We didn't *want* to give up our building, but it turned out to be the best thing we ever did!


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## Smokey613 (Jan 11, 2010)

Can you expound on this "trunk" lodge format?


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## david918 (Jan 11, 2010)

Wharton lodge sold it's building about 3 years ago.We now meet in a private dining room behind a BBQ restaurant and haul all of the stuff we need for our meetings in a large trunk,hence the name "trunk lodge".I believe it was the best thing we have ever done the move has almost tripled our average attendance for meetings and we have been named as a Vanguard Lodge every year since we moved.You need to come down for a meeting sometime brother Smokey we are located on the same street as Burke lodge  highway 59 just a few miles south


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## TexMass (Jan 17, 2010)

Since 2000 in MA, the average age of a Mason dropped 5 years from 67 to 62.  Part of that was the change in initiation age from 21 to 18.  Hard pushes with open houses since 2005 have also helped.  We were having one open house a year.  Now it's up to two a year or more if your lodge wants to.


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## HKTidwell (Jan 17, 2010)

TexMass said:


> Since 2000 in MA, the average age of a Mason dropped 5 years from 67 to 62.  Part of that was the change in initiation age from 21 to 18.  Hard pushes with open houses since 2005 have also helped.  We were having one open house a year.  Now it's up to two a year or more if your lodge wants to.


 
I know I read somewhere that a past GM of Texas pushed open houses.  Forgive my memory I can't remember which one I think it was back in the 90's.  Does anybody remember this and if so was it a successful program?


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## david918 (Jan 17, 2010)

We had a couple of open houses back in the early 90's.Did not do a thing for my lodge but I heard that some lodges had a real success with it


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## drapetomaniac (Jan 17, 2010)

It seems like this would have been useful after Lost Symbol came out.  If Dan capitalizes on us, no problem in capitalizing on him


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## Bro_Vick (Jan 18, 2010)

I agree with a lot of points made here, regarding the Ghetto as location for a lot of lodges this is completely accurate.  Army is located in what most real estate folks call a transition neighborhood.  One of the reasons it's survived is its close proximity to Fort Sam.  Others in San Antonio are in some pretty rough neighborhood.  I think that a success of a lodge is one part ritual and one part community service.  The more the lodge is known in the community, the more likely it is to attract good men, and finally a lodge needs to promote the younger masons, that way the 53 year old does seem like a whiper snapper.


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## Christopher (Jan 18, 2010)

I definitely think the lodge location issue is a big one.  Our lodge has bars on the windows, and I think it's genuinely necessary.  Some lodges in Houston I'd flat-out be afraid to visit after dark.

Honestly, I think a "trunk lodge" is more in keeping with the way our ancient brethren met.  Permanent lodges are not a necessary or ancient part of the practice of our Craft.  Having said it, though, I wouldn't volunteer to give up my lodge.

Christopher


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