On Friday November 9, 2024 we were driving around Town of Shenandoah and saw a building at 113 Maryland Avenue that workers were applying vinyl siding on.
The building being worked on is the brick building beside Karens Frozen Favorites ice cream stand.
This building used to be the old Masonic Hall that was home to Ashlar Lodge and Milnes Chapter no.3 Order of the Eastern Star. The building is included in the Shenandoah Historic District and is listed on page 54 in the National Register Of Historic Places and states this building dating from about 1900. This pdf document can be viewed and downloaded by following this link: Shenandoah Historic District
Town residents may want to view the Historic District document to see if their home is listed in this document.
The Ashlar Lodge no. 125 has been located in several different buildings in the Town of Shenandoah since it was formed in 1869.
Milnes Chapter no.3 Order of the Eastern Star is the oldest chapter in Va and was charted in 1896 as written on their Facebook page.
The first Masonic Hall was located at the corner of Second Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. (Where the current Shenandoah Fire Department is located) It was a three-story brick building and was built mid 1880’s. This building was home to the Shenandoah Inn and Milnes Hotel. This building was torn down in September 1929.
In the September 24, 1929 edition of the Page News and Courier, we found the following article.
“CORNERSTONE OF MASONIC BUILDING GIVES UP ITS RELICS.
Shenandoah, Virginia, Nov. 20, 1929-People who have known Shenandoah tor the last 40 years, from the time when it was known by the name of Milnes, will miss the old landmark known as the Masonic Hall which has just been razed to the ground. This three-story brick building stood on the corner of Second St., and Pennsylvania Avenue, and was erected in 1886. The third story was formerly used as the lodge room of Ashlar Lodge, No. 125. the other two stories being used fer residence and boarding house. The corner stone was laid on May 30,1886, and contained the following articles, which were found in a good state of preservation: One copy of the Bible, one Virginia Text Book, one copy Proceedings of Grand Lodge of Virginia, 1884, By Laws of Ashlar Lodge, No. 126, 1879; one copy of same containing Historical Sketch of Lodge; list of officers and members of Ashlar Lodge No. 125, one copy of Page Courier, May 28, 1886; one copy Richmond Enquirer, Nov, 21, 1867, one copy Central Presbyterian, May 27, 1886; one copy Masonic Chronicle same date; one copy The Watchman, May, 1886; one copy Page News, May 29, 1886, Names of President and Cabinet; Richmond Christian Advocate, April 9, 1885. The following coins, - sliver dollar, 1883; fifty cent piece, 1874; twenty five cent piece, 1877; ten cent piece, 1876; five cent piece, 1761; also one copy Irish Almanac, 1761; one note, Potomac’s Savings Bank, 1861; 2 notes Virginia Trea Bury, 1862: one 26 cent note, 1874: names of the town Council, as follows: Dr. S. Arthur Austin, May 'r; Frank Noland, Clerk; Benj. Milnes, John P. Brown, James Pulliam, R. J. Propes, John Coverstone, Dr. A. L. Wolfe, C. H. Elliott. Most of those articles are now in the hands of Mr. J. H. Moore, and the list has been entered on the minutes of the Lodge.”
More information about Ashlar Lodge No. 125 A.F and A.M. can be found in the book Shenandoah A History of Our Town And Its People on pages 171-172.
Ashlar Lodge No. 125 and Milnes Chapter no. 3 Order of the Eastern Star currently hold their meetings at 210 Virginia Avenue.
Picture of Masonic Hall came from the book Shenandoah A History of Our Town And Its People on page 285.
