History of Angier Lodge #686 1950-Present
The organizational history of Angier Lodge #686 occurred when former members of Black River Lodge #652, which received it’s charter on January 17, 1923 and then folded during the depression on March 19, 1938, decided to reestablish another lodge in Angier. On May 2, 1948 a good number of the previous Black River Lodge #652 members started the idea for the formation of Angier Lodge U.D.
On April 19, 1950 during the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, A.F.&A.M., Angier Lodge U.D. was officially issued a charter and was to be known as Angier Lodge #686. There were thirty-three charter members:
|
Ira Dupree |
Winford Talton |
Joe W. Gardner |
Coy Guy |
James S. Sanders |
Floyd Suitts |
|
Dan Fish |
Carson Gregory |
Harvey Stephenson |
Laucey Johnson |
Charlie Smith |
W. B. Williams |
|
Ben Adams |
Wayne Coats |
Paul Broadwell |
David A. McLeod |
John R. Dupree |
Gordon Matthews, Sr |
|
Jack Barnes |
Wilton Fish |
G. Paul Carr |
Dickson McDonald |
Zeb D. Overby |
Roy Williams, Sr. |
|
Butler Day |
Joe Jones |
James Fish |
Norwood Young |
A.C. Barefoot, Jr. |
George Houston |
|
Norwood Adams |
Paul Lee |
Gordon Matthews, Jr. |
|
|
|
The lodge initially met on the second floor of A.L. Overby’s Drug Store located at the corner of S.Broad St E. and E. Depot St. The door to the upstairs was located on the S. Broad St. E. side of the building. The lodge experienced some growth in membership and it was apparent a new location would need to be found.
In 1957 a parcel of land located on S. Raleigh St between W. Lillington St and W. Church St was donated to the lodge by Joseph R. Overby for the purpose to construct a lodge building. In the early 1960’s, a drive was held by the lodge members to raise funds to construct their lodge building. The new lodge hall was constructed by donated funds at a cost of $20,000. A Masonic cornerstone ceremony was held in 1963 during the building of the lodge.
In February 1986, the lodge members, along with members of the Angier Eastern Star Chapter, broke ground on a new fellowship hall to be used as a place for dinners and also for a rental facility to the community. In February 1991, the fellowship hall was completed at a cost of approxiately $28,000 and was a turn key operation being paid in full when finished.
As of 2024, the lodge still continues to meet on the second and forth Tuesday of the month and maintains a membership count around eighty-two. The Eastern Star Chapter was unable to maintain a satisfactory membership and had to turn it’s charter in and the members merged with the chapter that meets in Lillington.
Content above gathered from MORE VOICES OF YESTERYEAR, ANGIER, NORTH CAROLINA , pgs 260-261, 1993, Tyford Printing, Dunn, North Carolina