The Clinton Masonic Lodge stands out on Wilton Main Street, sitting atop a hill next to the library, with curving steps leading to the front door, framed by columns and a brick facade.

Like many aspects of the lodge, pieces of its exterior are symbolic of Masonry teachings – not surprising, as the building was paid for and built by members of the Freemasons (Masons for short) for the purpose of being a Masonic temple, a tradition that carries on to this day. The first meeting was held Sept. 9, 1897, and the building was dedicated on June 16, 1898, in a ceremony which included a procession of over 200 Masons, including a visit from the governor.

The interior of the building is filled with hand-carved mahogany. The electricity must be turned on from an upstairs electrical closet. In the main meeting hall, a false door opens to a blank wall – there for the sole purpose of creating symmetry.

Very few things have changed since the day the lodge was built, said Master of the Lodge Chris Hutchinson.

Freemasons are one of the oldest fraternal groups in the world – and among the most mysterious, by design. When someone joins the Freemasons, one of the requirements is to take an oath of secrecy. According to Hutchinson, one of the tenants of Masonry is that a man’s word is his bond – so that oath is expected to be kept.

“Despite what you might hear, we’re not a secret society – we’re a society with secrets,” Hutchinson said.

To that point, the existence and membership of the Freemasons is not secret, and its rules and regulations are open for inspection, even if its meetings are closed and some aspects, such as the meaning behind the compass, measuring square and letter “G” that make up the Masonry symbol are meant to be known only to its members.

Masons are not specifically a charitable organization, though many lodges, including Wilton, contribute to charitable works. Wilton’s lodge holds charity breakfasts, supports local youth sports teams, buys gifts for the local Giving Tree at Christmas and provides a free Thanksgiving meal for the community, among other things.

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It’s not a religion, and isn’t secular, though its members must profess a belief in a monotheistic higher power. Like all lodges, the meeting room in Wilton has at its center, on a dais, a Bible – though Hutchinson noted that in other lodges, it might be another religious text such as the Torah, depending upon the makeup of lodge members.

To be a Freemason, one must be a man over 18 years old, and, as Hutchinson put it, “you have to ask.” There are affiliate groups for members family members and wives, but the Masons are a fraternity.

A brotherhood

Masons refer to each other as “brother” – and at its core, Hutchinson said it’s about connections.

The organization does have a hierarchy, with specific seats for members of different ranks, and accouterments, but Hutchinson said that a person’s status outside of the Masonic hall is irrelevant inside it.

“Your political status, how much money you have, those things don’t matter,” Hutchinson said. “You could be the president of the United States, or you could be a goat farmer, and in this room, you would be treated the same.”

Hutchinson said his grandfather and great-grandfather were both Masons, and said that while he knew of that fact, he knew little else about the organization when he joined. He attended an open house the lodge was hosting, and asked one of the members how he joined – and was told that was the first step. The Masons don’t solicit members; no one is asked, and those that seek membership do so of their own will.

Hutchinson said the Masons are an organization that “you get out of it, what you put in.”

“You can just show up for the monthly meetings, enjoy a meal and some companionship, or you can be as involved as you want,” Hutchinson said, adding that the organization has helped build his confidence, public speaking and leadership skills. 

A history of the Clinton Masonic Lodge

In its long history, the Clinton Masonic Lodge is notable in that it has only ever been used for one purpose. It was built as a Masonic lodge in the Revolutionary War period, and remains in use as one to this day.

The lodge’s charter was granted on June 13, 1827, by the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire, and the town’s first Masonic meeting was held that September. At that time, the lodge was yet to be built, and the meetings were held over a brick store, now known as the Red House, in the old Wilton Center, across the street from the Unitarian Church. The building was used for Masonic meetings for more than 10 years, but then interest in the organization petered out. In 1843, the chapter officially lost its charter due to dormancy of its membership.

During the 19 years that followed, the lodge wasn’t completely defunct. Small groups would meet in private houses, until activities revived and the lodge renewed its charter in 1857, this time meeting in the former Newell Building, which housed a residence and general store on Main Street. After a year, they moved to the chapel for the Second Congregational Church, and then in 1870, back to a building on Main Street.

Unfortunately, the building was struck by Dec. 2, 1874, Main Street fire, which destroyed several buildings, including the one used by the lodge, as well as many of the organization’s early records. The lodge moved back to the church until its previous lodge was replaced, and then moved back to Main Street – only to be displaced again by another major fire in 1881.

After 70 years without a space to call its own, in 1896, a member of the Masons, David Gregg,  donated $9,000 to build a Masonic Temple. The land for the building was donated by another Mason and prominent citizen, Dr. Josiah Fleeman. The lodge was built by another member of the Masons, Henry L. Emerson.

For information about the Wilton Freemasons, visit the Clinton Lodge No. 52 F&AM Facebook page or clintonlodge.org, or visit the lodge during one of its twice-monthly Saturday breakfasts from 9 to 10 a.m.

Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172, Ext. 244, or asaari@ ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.