GEORGETOWN, COLORADO
Georgetown Lodge No. 12, originally Washington Lodge No. 12, was chartered without the lodge operating under dispensation. It was granted a charter October 7, 1867 and this charter was granted to three Master Masons, namely: Andrew Mason, Worshipful Master; Jairus Hall, Senior Warden; and Dubois Tucker, Junior Warden. The first communication of Washington Lodge was held on October 22, 1867 at the Masonic Hall which was a room above the Dagleish Photograph Gallery. Lodge was opened by the three officers named in the charter and Most Worshipful Brother Henry M. Teller, Grand Master, and all Grand Lodge Officers present for the purpose dedicated and consecrated Washington Lodge No. 12. The Grand Master presented the Lodge with a large Bible which was used on the altar many years but is now in the archives.
This lodge met in several different halls until finally in December, 1890, Most Worshipful Grand Master Ernest LeNeve Foster gave permission to move to the present location. January 24, 1891, Most Worshipful Grand Master Ernest LeNeve Foster made his official visit and presented three gavels to the lodge. They had ebony handles and ivory heads. A vote of thanks was extended to Georgetown Chapter No.4, Royal Arch Masons in April 1893 for a $600.00 contribution towards expenses of moving into the new Temple and buying Furniture.
A group of seventeen Masons petitioned for a dispensation to form a new lodge but were turned down by Washington Lodge, on June 5, 1881. Later in the year on October 8, 1881, a petition was again presented and at this time the prayer of the petitioners was granted. On September 20, 1882 the Lodge was chartered as Georgetown Lodge No. 48.
In the year 1900 the question of consolidating the two lodges came up and a committee was appointed from No. 12 to investigate the feasibility of this move. They met with a like committee from No. 48 and later had a joint meeting which proposed a resolution to the effect that action be taken to consolidate under Grand Lodge By-law 135. The Worshipful Master presented the resolution but since Georgetown No. 48 had already taken action against the resolution it was laid on the table. Again in 1912 it was tried but failed. However, in March of 1916 both lodges agreed to consolidate. The charters were sent to the Most Worshipful Grand Master at Denver by William H. Bullock, P. M., and the two lodges became one to be known as Georgetown No. 12.
