DENVER, COLORADO
In 1865 a Masonic Hall Association was formed by the four local Masonic Bodies – Denver Lodge No.5, Union Lodge No.7, Denver Chapter No.2, Royal Arch Masons, and Colorado Commandery No.1, Knights Templar.
In 1881 the Masonic Hall Association became the Masonic Temple Association with a capital of $100,000.00, built to this amount from the original $4,000.00 which each of the above named bodies subscribed. There were five sites investigated and the one at 16th and Welton, where the original Temple now stands was chosen. In the early summer of 1890 the fourth floor Lodge room was ready for use. By that time there were three Masonic Lodges in Denver: Denver Lodge No.5, Union Lodge No.7 and Schiller Lodge No. 41. The new building was dedicated July 3, 1890.
At the same time a group of seventeen sojourning Masons who had assisted the existing Lodges to occupy their new Temple, grouped together with William D. Wright, who was our first Worshipful Master, to organize a new lodge. Right Worshipful Brother Wright was then Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Colorado. This was the first Lodge chartered in the new Temple and was named Temple Lodge. These Masons obtained permission to meet in the new building. They chose William D. Wright as Master, Frank I. Smith as Senior Warden, Simeon A. Josephi as Junior Warden, and applied for a dispensation to the Grand Lodge of Colorado, which was generously endorsed and recommended by Denver Lodge No.5 and Union Lodge No.7. The dispensation was issued July 25, 1890 to Temple Lodge U. D., with the above officers named, and thirteen additional members.
The next annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Colorado was on September 16th and 17th, 1890, and on the first day of this meeting the committee on Work and Returns submitted the following report to Ernest LeNeve Foster, Grand Master of Masons in Colorado (who dimitted to Temple Lodge No. 84 in 1894):
“Your committee to whom has been referred the petition of Temple Lodge U. D. for charter under the Grand Lodge of Colorado A. F. and A. M. hereby recommend that a charter be issued to the petitioners, bearing the name of Temple Lodge No. 84.”
Since that eventful day in 1890, with William D. Wright as Master, Temple Lodge No. 84 has grown and prospered to the present date with 512 members, with Alvin H. Munk serving as Master. In our 71 years, Temple Lodge No. 84 has had four Grand Masters serving the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Colorado.
| Ernest LeNeve Foster | 1890-81 |
| William D. Wright | 1892-93 |
| Arther E. Jones | 1906-07 |
| Francis J. Knauss | 1940-41 |
