CENTER, COLORADO
A number of the brethren of Center and vicinity being remotely situated from any lodge and being desirous of providing suitable quarters to practice Masonry. Petitioned Grand Master Arthur E. Jones in 1907 for a dispensation. The Knights of Pythias and the Masons in joint endeavor entered into a contract of not less than three years with the School District No. 26 of Rio Grande and Saguache Counties to provide sufficient funds to complete the upper room in the school building as their meeting place. A joint committee was appointed from the two orders to obtain sufficient funds for Lodge room furnishings to be owned jointly.
During early June of 1907 a petition was submitted by the required number of Masons, fourteen brethren. So the dispensation was granted June 15, 1908 and on June 17, 1908 the following officers were chosen :
M. M. Sutley, Worshipful Master; R. A. Sylvester, Senior Warden; A. R. Spencer, Junior Warden; Walter Eayers, Treasurer; T. E. Ickes, Secretary; W. E. Sumpter, Senior Deacon; Charles H. Carney, Junior Deacon; Charles H. Chown, Senior Steward; Fayette Germon, Junior Steward; James B. Gelwick, Tiler
On August 24, 1907 all records were surrendered to the Grand Lodge awaiting favorable action for a charter which was granted to Temple Gate Lodge No. 128 at the annual communication in September, 1907.
The Lodge was constituted November 23, 1907, at which time the following officers were installed:
M. M. Sutley, Worshipful Master; R. A. Sylvester, Senior Warden; A. R. Spencer, Junior Warden; T. E. Ickes, Treasurer; W. E. Sumpter, Secretary; W. E. Ayers, Senior Deacon; G. A. Bradburn, Junior Deacon; F. Germon, Senior Steward; T. C. Millard, Junior Steward; G. W. Ickes, Tiler
It is recorded that Temple Gate Lodge No. 128 met in two other locations before occupying its present new Temple which was completed in 1949 and dedicated by Grand Master S. Stuart Krebs on August 25, 1949. 96 visiting brethren from 24 different Lodges and 65 members of Temple Gate Lodge No. 128 were in attendance.
The Lodge records disclose that a lot north of the Post Dispatch building was willed to the Lodge by late Brother Grant E. Newmyer. It has since been sold.
Temple Gate Lodge No. 128 is in good condition financially and has established a comfortable reserve fund which has steadily increased during the last decade.
November 30, 1960 membership 156
