New England Masonic Lodge, ca. 1900

This view of the Masonic Lodge building, located at 634 High Street in Worthington depicts the lodge ca. 1900. The New England Masonic Lodge was constructed in 1820 and is the oldest Masonic Temple west of the Allegheny Mountains in constant use. The rear shed was for horses and buggies. The Freemasons were part of the social structure on the Ohio frontier, with six lodges by 1808. The Worthington Lodge had 35 members in 1814, among them William Robe, Joel Buttles, Chester Pinney, James Kilbourn, Lincoln Goodale, and Isaac Griswold. The building shown was built on land owned by John Snow. During the Anti-Masonic movement, members met in a ravine near Chaseland, just south of Worthington. An adjoining Grand Lodge office was built in 1955-1956. The Federal style lodge is now a Masonic museum. The house on the left was the home of Mrs. Grace Gilbert.

Contributor: Worthington Historical Society

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