CRESTED BUTTE, COLORADO
Crested Butte Lodge No. 58 held its first communication under dispensation December 1, 1883 in the present Croation Hall. Officers and members present at the first meeting were: J. K. Robinson, Worshipful Master; A. K. Chamblin, Senior Warden; John McElroy, Junior Warden; N. S. Snyder, Secretary; G. W. Temple, Senior Deacon; John Gibson, Junior Deacon; C. C. Pollard, Junior Steward; and Brothers Newton and Hale. The first meeting was concerned with reading the dispensation just received, election of secretary and treasurer, reading of petitions for five new members, and drawing up by-laws which:
1. Named lodge (which derives its name from the town)
2. Designated meeting dates.
3. Designated officers of Lodge.
4. Outlined procedure for application of new members.
5. Set amount of fees for conferring degrees.
On September 17, 1884 a charter was granted by Grand Master Andrew Sagendorf with the names of the following members appearing on the Charter: J. K. Robinson, A. K. Chamblin, John McElroy, G. W. Temple, J. B. Eberhart, T. Y. Ripley, John Gibson, John L. Young, Wm. J. Murray, C. W. Harris, H. Ellis, N. C. Anderson, N. S. Snyder, Sidney Salover, D. V. Minor, Joseph Henworth, F. E. Songer, W. Knight, Alexander Herron, John McCourt. October 3, 1884 Worshipful Brother O. P. Abercombie visited the lodge to install the following officers under the new Charter: J. K. Robinson, Worshipful Master; A. K. Chamblin, Senior Warden; George Temple, Senior Deacon; John Gibson, Junior Deacon; and John Young, Junior Steward.
The Croation Hall served as the first meeting place for the brethren – this hall leased on an annual basis by the Masons was sub-leased for meeting purposes to the IOOF. In later years the IOOF constructed the present Masonic Hall with a sub-lease to the Masons. Dwindling IOOF membership in the community necessitated disposal of the building with eventual ownership acquired by Lodge No. 58.
Minutes of the early meetings dealt with the work of acquiring new members and the disbursement of funds. By 1903 the membership had grown to 50, exactly what the present membership numbers 57 years later.
The 75th anniversary of the founding of the lodge was celebrated September 5, 1959 with a visitation by Grand Master Clifford J. Gobble. Reminiscing of returning members and a picnic were the order of the day.
