December 6, 1951

Brother Hamilton informed the Grand Lodge and requested approval from the Grand Lodge Committee on Welfare of Lodges, to accept an offer from Brother Wallace H. Foote of a building lot at the corner of Eades and Prospect Streets.

December 29, 1951

Grand Lodge Committee on Welfare of Lodges meet with the Lodge Trustees and Brother Foote, and give approval.

December 2, 1952

Building Plans were completed and approved by the Grand Lodge

October 24, 1953

Cornerstone laid for the new Masonic Temple

March 17, 1954

The Lodge moves into the New Temple for the first time

January 22, 1955

The Temple is dedicated.

By 1946 Widow's Son Lodge was well on its way to a new era, membership was on the increase and talk of better Lodge apartments was to come about once again, R. W. Bro. Lewis Hamilton was appointed chairman of a newly constituted Temple committee.  For the next nine years Brother Hamilton, his committee and every member of the lodge was to work until the present Temple was dedicated on January 22, 1955.

The events that lead up to a Lodge having its own Temple are long and numerous.  In Widow's Son Lodge the subject can be found within the minute books over many years, with committees being appointed, land purchased, but never a Temple built.  On December 6, 1951 Brother Hamilton informed the Grand Lodge and requested approval from the Grand Lodge Committee on Welfare of Lodges, to accept an offer from Brother Wallace H. Foote of a building lot at the corner of Eades and Prospect Streets.  Brother Foote, in offering the $4.000 building lot in the name of his family and in honor of William R. Foote, Master in 1903 and 1904 stipulated that a Temple be erected on the lot within one year. Thus the Lodge was spurred into action that was much needed. 

On December 29 1951,the Grand Lodge Committee on Welfare of Lodges met with the Lodge Trustees and Brother Foote. After going over the building lot and noting that the lodge had some $35.000 plus $10,000 in pledges to build a temple, the Grand Lodge Committee gave its approval of the gift and the building of a Temple.

A building committee set to work and with the able assistance of Brother Douglas W. Orr, a nationally noted architect who had served as Vice Chairman of the Commission on the renovation of the White House. Washington. D.C., plans were completed and approved by the Grand Lodge on December 2, 1952.

The building plans called for much of the work on the new Temple to be completed by the hands of the membership. The brothers held well to the task with many putting in as much as 1.000 hours of labor for their new Temple.

The Temple was much needed by the fall of 1953, as Grand Master George S. Hull was called upon to issue two Dispensations to the lodge under the date of October 13. 1953, one for the Lodge to hold its stated communication of October 21st in the Lodge Room of St. Albans Lodge No.38 of Guilford; the second one for the Lodge to hold its stated communication of November 4th in "The Academy,� the reason being that the heating system had failed at the Community House.

CORNERSTONE LAID

The date of October 24, 1953, was set for the Cornerstone laying.  The Proceedings of the Grand Lodge spell out completely the activity of the day and are here given in full.

EMERGENT COMMUNICATION

Held in Branford, Connecticut

Saturday. October 24. A.D. 1953, A. L. 5953

An Emergent Communication of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Connecticut, A. F. & A. M. was held in Branford, Connecticut on Saturday, October 24, 1953 for the purpose of laying the Cornerstone of the new Masonic Temple of Widow's Son Lodge No. 66.

PRESENT

M. W. George. S. Hull (95) Grand Master

R. W. Thorn W. Corby ( 42) Deputy Grand Master

R. W. John H. Smith (46) Grand Senior Warden

R. W. J. Hull Manwaririg (120) Grand Junior Warden

M. W. Earle K. Haling (44) Past Grand Master, as Grand Treasurer

M. W. Earle K. Haling (44) Past Grand Master, as Grand Secretary

R. W .George R. Smith (1) District Deputy, as Grand Senior Deacon

R. W. James E. RoIston (38) District Deputy, as Grand Junior Deacon

R. W. Albert H. Ruwet (84 ) Grand Marshal

R. W. J. Zalmon S. Hunt (44 ) District Deputy, as Grand Senior Steward

R. W. Harry 0. Sauerbrunn (92) Past District Deputy as Grand Junior Steward

Rev. Bra. Edward R. Merrill (32) Grand Chaplain

Bro. Winthrop H. Towner (66) Grand Architect

R. W. Frank L. Anderson (104) Past District Deputy as Grand Tiler

Past Grand Master: M. W. Earle K. Haling.

District deputies: R.W. Brothers Henry A. Phillips (3rd), James E. RoIston (4th), George R. Smith (4th), and J. Zalmon S. Hunt (9)

Past District Deputies: R. W. Brothers Frank L. Anderson ( lst ), and Harry 0. Sauerbrunn (4th).

Widow's Son Lodge No.66, having been opened by its Worshipful Master, F. Sherwood Boyd, in an Emergent Communication in its Lodge Room in the Branford Community House at 2:45 P.M., officially received the Grand Master and his Grand Lodge Officers and extended to them Grand Honors. The Worshipful Master surrendered his gavel to the Most Worshipful Grand Master who ordered the stations and places to be filled by the Grand Lodge Officers.  Most Worshipful George S. Hull, Grand Master, then opened an Emergent Communication of the Grand Lodge in Ample Form at 3:15 P.M.  A procession was formed by Right Worshipful Albert H. Ruwet, Grand Marshal, assisted by Worshipful Brother Kenneth C. Swanfelder of Widow's Son Lodge as Aide, in the following order:

• Police Escort
• Parade Marshal and Aides
• Temple Building Committee
• American Legion Color Guard
• Town and Borough Officials
• Branford Town Band
• Old Timers in cars
• Color Guard, New Haven Commandery No.2
• New Haven .Commandery No.2
• Lodges of the Fourth Masonic District
• Georgia Chapter No.48, O.E.S.
• Branford Assembly No.19, Order of Rainbow for Girls
• Branford Chapter, Order of DeMolay
• Widow's Son Lodge No.66
• Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Connecticut

The procession proceeded from the Community House at the corner of South Main and Montowese Streets, on Montowese Street to Main Street, along Main Street to Eades Street and down Eades Street to the site of the new Temple at the corner of Prospect Street. At the corner of Main Street and Harrison Avenue the Grand Lodge, until then marching near the head of the procession, fell out and reviewed the procession as it passed, falling in again at the rear as shown above.  Upon arrival at the Temple site the Colors were massed and all joined in the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States followed by the singing of the National Anthem led by the Branford Town Band.  Most Worshipful Grand Master , George S. Hull, assisted by his Grand Lodge Officers then laid the Cornerstone of the new Masonic Temple of Widow's Son Lodge No.66 according to ancient Masonic form and ceremony. He was assisted in spreading the cement by the Deputy Grand Master, the two Grand Wardens and by Honorable Dominic Bontatibus, First Selectman, Town of Branford, and Honorable Robert Schroeder, Jr., Second Selectman, Town of Branford.

Following is a list of the contents of the box deposited within the Cornerstone:

• Program of Grand Master's Day, Saturday, September 26,1953, at the Masonic Home, Wallingford, Connecticut.
• Photostatic copies of our Lodge Charters (2).
• Lodge History 1825-1925. ( Published September 27, 1925 ).
• Roster of new members not appearing in Lodge History, 1926, October 24, 1953.
• Rosters of Masters not listed in Lodge History , 1927-1953.
• Roster of Secretaries and Assistant Secretaries not listed in History.
• Roster of Treasurers not listed in History .
• Roster of present Master Masons, as of above date, plus Fellow crafts and Entered Apprentices.
• Trestle Board for March 1925 (mentions Temple Building Lot).
• Trestle Board for June 1925 (mentions erecting a new building).
• Masonic Directory 1925 New Haven, West Haven, Hamden, Branford and North Haven.
• Program of Celebration of 100th Anniversary our Lodge at Branford Connecticut, on September 27-28,1925.
• Coins of 1825 (Half-Dollar, Quarter-Dollar, Dime, Penny).
• Coins Circulating currently-(1925 Half Dollar, 1952 Quarter, 1953 Dime, 1947 Nickel, 1953D Penny).
• Data on cornerstone proper, -(donated by P.M. R. Edwin Maddem).
• By-Laws 1921, with By-Laws of 1935 inserted therein.
• Petition for membership.
• Booklet, "BRANFORD .The Tercentenary of Connreticut 1635-1935."
• Lodge Dues Card for year ending December 31, 1953.
• The Branford Review, Thursday, October 15, 1953, Contains picture of Temple and explanatory article.
• Four pages of New Haven Register, Sunday, October 19,1953. Pages 27, 28, 29, and 30. Page 28 shows picture of Temple, -also article.
• By-Laws of Georgia Chapter No.48, O.E.S. as of 1946, with enclosure of Past Matrons and Past Patrons, plus Secretary 1947 through 1953.
• Membership of Georgia Chapter No.48, O.E.S. as of October 24, 1953.
• Picture of Officers of Georgia Chapter No.48, O.E.S.
• Photostat of Charter of Georgia Chapter No.48, O.E.S.
• Membership of Branford Assembly No.19, The Order of the Rainbow for Girls.
• Photostat of Charter of the above Assembly No.19.

TEMPLE DEDICATED

The building moved along at a rapid pace, for on March 17, 1954 the Lodge was able to move into the New Temple. Later the Grand Lodge was called upon to dedicate the Temple. Again the

Proceeding of The Grand Lodge are given in full.

SPECIAL COMMUNICATION

Held in Branford, Connecticut