HISTORY

BRIEF HISTORY OF OLD TOWN MASONIC LODGE # 751

1973	Spring & Summer this year Masons in Old Town and Bethania met in homes and community buildings to plan and start Masonic Lodge November 20th, Grand Master Dean came to Old Town and granted dispensation to 50 Master Masons to start an Old Town Masonic Lodge December 27, Old Town Lodge U.D. conferred first Entered Apprentice Degree in Bethania Moravian Congregation Building in Bethania, NC
1974	February 24, Old Town Lodge U.D. conferred first 3^rd Degree April 25, Grand Master W L Mills, Jr. performed the Ceremony Consecrating Old Town Lodge #751, A. F. & A. M. with a membership of 51 39 meetings were held and 14 new Master Masons were raised
1975	50 meetings were held and 19 new Master Masons were raised
1976	42 meetings; 23 new Master Masons raised membership to 119
1977	46 meetings; 26 new Master Masons raised membership to 146
1978	May 6, Old Town Eastern Star Chapter #355 was instituted 33 meetings; 14 new Master Masons raised Old Town membership
1979	Charles and Nora North donated land for OTL Temple June 15, Order of Eastern Star Chapter #355 was constituted Old Town Lodge held 30 meetings and raised 13 new Master Masons
1980	36 meetings; 12 new Master Masons raised membership to 182
1981	NC Grand Lodge approved $42,000 bond issue to finance construction of Masonic Temple. Of the total 42 notes, 19 were interest free. The others carried 10% interest. Seven notes were donated. July 18, NC Grand Master E Banks officiated, with members and friends of Old Town Lodge, at laying of the cornerstone for our Masonic Temple 34 meetings were held and 10 new Master Masons were raised
1982	May 18, first official meeting held in the new Old Town Temple June 1, the first Sublime Master Mason Degree conferred in new Temple August 13, NC Grand Master A C Honeycutt presided at the Dedication of the new Old Town Lodge Temple with full Masonic Ceremonies 42 meetings held and 14 new Master Masons raised membership to 199
1983	34 meetings were held and 8 new Master Masons were raised
1984	35 meetings were held and 11 new Master Masons were raised
1985	Old Town Lodge's monthly newsletter was started in March 28 meetings were held and 6 new Master Masons were raised
1986	Sr. Warden Joseph Wages began history of Old Town Lodge 31 meetings were held and 9 new Master Masons were raised
1987	July 9, First meeting of Rainbow for Girls Assembly #37 21 meetings were held and 3 new Master Masons were raised
1988	50-year Certificate Award was presented to Elbert Edward Levy 31 meetings were held and 6 new Master Masons were raised
1989	38 meetings; 15 new Master Masons raised membership to 232
1990	60-year Silver Jubilee Certificate presented to Joseph Selecman 39 meetings were held and 15 new Master Masons were raised
1991	36 meetings; 10 new Master Masons raised membership to 249. August 10, Debt Retirement, "Mortgage Burning" Ceremony, and Thank You Dinner was held celebrating the retiring of the last bond making OTL debt free. OTL received a donation of $2000 from the OES Chapter 355 for kitchen equipment.
1992	27 meetings were held, 4 were raised to the sublime degree. Total membership was 250. OTL sponsored two girls to Rainbow Camp. OTL sponsored a blood drive and collected 25 pints.
1993	34 meetings; 7 brothers were raised. Membership was 250. Bro. Herb Blankenship of OTL installed as Potentate of Oasis Shrine. A brother was appointed to help with the Winston-Salem chapter of the Order of DeMolay. Brother Wilson Boyles left a substantial financial legacy to OTL.
1994	17 meetings were held. 1 brother was raised to the sublime degree. Total membership was 251. The Order of DeMolay began to meet at Old Town Temple.
1995	26 meetings were held. 5 brothers raised to the sublime degree. Net decrease of 1 brought the total membership to 250.
1996	26 meetings were held this year. Four new masons were raised. A net decrease in membership of 4 brought the total membership to 246. OTL assumed sponsorship of Assembly #37 Order of Rainbow for girls.
1997	21 meetings were held this year. 3 new masons were raised but other events resulted in net loss of 10 bringing total membership to 236. In February the Lodge made a $1000 contribution to a distressed worthy brother
1998	14 meetings were held. No new masons were raised this year and a net loss of 7 resulted in a membership of 229. Christy Blankenship of the OTL sponsored Rainbow Assembly for Girls #37 was installed as Grand Worthy Adviser for Grand Assembly of NC. Old Town Lodge sponsored Maggie Simmons to the Masonic Home for Children. A topic of interest in this year was Recognition of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge. OTL prepared a paper setting forth its views on the subject.