Please follow the Lodge's summons for regular instructions. History of Eureka-West Shore Lodge including Merger
The years of 1830 to 1850 were dark ones for the Masonic fraternity. Religious, political and social prejudice, a result of increasing suspicions about the nature and influence of Freemasons, had done significant damage to Freemasonry nationwide. In Pennsylvania our numbers dwindled fro
m 109 subordinate lodges in 1827 to only 38 in 1839. In Central Pennsylvania, all of the lodges went dark in Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry counties. During this somber period, even the Pennsylvania state government became involved. On the heels of the nationally publicized trials – and acquittals – of Masons involved in the suspected murder of William Morgan, a former Mason who had planned to publish a damaging expose of Freemasonry, members of the Pennsylvania Grand Lodge were summoned to appear before House of Representatives of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania for an examination of the activities of
the Craft. On Jan. 21, 1836, some potential witnesses appeared, but their spokesman gave compelling reasons for them not to testify and a motion was then made for them to be discharged. After numerous dilatory tactics by the investigating panel, the witnesses were discharged, but not until after vigorous opposition was made by one of the leading anti-Masonic figures of the time, Thaddeus Stevens of Lancaster County. But after weathering that sad time, the clouds began to clear, and our fraternity again began to prosper within the state. Life returned to some of the dormant lodges and new lodges were chartered. Records indicate that five years before the Civil War, the number of lodges in the Commonwealth had risen to 128, and membership in the fraternity was showing a steady upward trend. It was in early 1856, during this time of the rebirth of Freemasonry in Pennsylvania, that several Freemasons living in the Mechanicsburg area assembled in the stationery store of Brother Jacob Dorsheimer at 56 West Main Street to formalize an application to the Grand Lodge of 25 Pennsylvania Free and Accepted Masons. At that time the town of Mechanicsburg had been a chartered borough for nearly three decades and had a population of 1,000. These Mechanicsburg Masons had come together for a simple purpose – to establish a new lodge in their growing town. Besides Brother Dorsheimer, others signing the application for the warrant included: Brothers John Palmer P.M., William H. Yingst, John Halbert, Abraham Rich, and George Weise, Jr. On June 16, 1856, the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania issued a warrant granting Brother Dorsheimer and the other applicants the authority to organize a Lodge in Mechanicsburg, to be known as Eureka Lodge No. 302. Three months later on the morning of Sept. 23, Right Worshipful Grand Master Bro. Peter Williamson and his Grand Lodge officers departed from Philadelphia for Mechanicsburg to constitute Eureka Lodge No. 302, F. & A. The minutes of the first meeting of Eureka Lodge No. 302 as originally recorded reflect the R.W. Grand Master’s visit and the lodge’s constitution under his watch. Throughout the year’s Eureka Lodge No. 302 remained strong, and although in the early days, a Worshipful Master may served successive terms, it never had a Past Master later return to the East. The West Shore Lodge, like so many Lodges across the state and nation, had difficulty maintaining a flow of Brothers through the Chairs since the year 2000. In the year 2007, the first movement toward a merger with another Lodge began. At first, there was not much interest. However, by the year 2011, there were no Brethren in the line prepared to ascend to the Masters Chair and Brother Donald L. M., (1999 and 2002) was elected Worshipful Master for the year 2012, his third term of service. Each Stated and Extra Meetings saw the need for several Past Masters to assume the Chairs. It was decided to seek a merger with another Lodge that did have a steady flow of Brethren through the Chairs. Douglas W. Hitz, W. was selected to chair the committee and he did an excellent service to move this venture forward. The most promising opportunity was with Eureka Lodge No. 302 in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. With the blessing and leadership of the District Deputy Grand Masters, Brother Scott T. Matincheck, Second Masonic District and Brother John D. Cook, P. Third Masonic District the work was completed and the merger was consummated on Saint Johns Day, Next, December 27, 2012. On that day, we all became members of Eureka-West Shore Lodge No. 302, F & A. We essentially returned home to the Mother Lodge that created the Masonic work in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, Eureka Lodge, No. 302, F. & A. M., Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Eureka-West Shore Lodge No. 302 Legacy of 150 Years
Read the entire 150-year history of Eureka-West Shore lodge No. 302 below. https://eureka302.org/welcome-2/our-lodge/
