A Brief History of Richland Lodge No. 283
THE BEGINNING
The Real “Miracle in The Desert”
NOTE: the following article was taken from the Masonic Quarterly, Christmas Issue, 1973, submitted by Ken G. West who was serving as Worshipful Master at the time of submission.
At the New York World’s Fair in 1964, the General Electric Company, then Prime Contractor for the Atomic Energy Commission, had a carousel type display entitled, “Miracle in the Desert”. It depicted in graphic form the tremendous strides made in the field of atomic energy and how it changed not only the course of our lives but that of the entire world. The Manhattan Project, the world’s best kept secret, had begun late in 1942 by a handful of men who selected Hanford, Washington as the hub of activity. A more remote and desolate site could not have been found; Hanford was surrounded by 975 square miles of desert wasteland bordered by the Columbia and Yakima Rivers. Within two years somewhere between 65,000 to 75,000 construction workers and military personnel flooded the area. Richland, some 30 miles away, was chosen as a residential site for Hanford workers. From a quiet farm community of 240 souls, it mushroomed into a town of 25,000 permanent residents, who had come from all over the nation.
As miraculous as the project itself, another miracle in the desert was evolving in the form of a Masonic Lodge composed of Master Masons from thousands of miles away.
Since 90% of the workers on this immense project were far from home, and many military men were Mason’s longing to have fellowship with other Masons, they organized the Richland Masonic Club in March 1944., under the careful guidance of dedicated brethren. Ritual Groups were formed and rehearsed, being given assistance by lodges of neighboring towns. Most of the club members were from other states, so there was much to be learned before being chartered in Washington State. On May 25, 1945, the Grand Master granted 21 members of Richland Masonic Club a dispensation to form a lodge.
In 1944 the club had rented an abandoned warehouse from the government, who owned all property in the town. It was a disreputable-looking building, until the brothers got to work. The floor was sagging, and it was obvious that new flooring would have to be installed. One of the first miracles concerned the flooring. One day in 1946 a truck backed up to the front door of the Lodge and enough pre-cut oak flooring was unloaded to cover the entire lodge room. Upon questioning, the driver said; “I don’t know where it came from, Boss; all I know is that I was told to say that King Solomon sent it.” The source remains a mystery, but it was promptly put to use in the Temple.
On June 16,1946, the M ∴W ∴ Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Washington granted a charter to 74 members of Richland Lodge U.D. (Under Dispensation), thereafter known as Richland Lodge No. 283. During the ensuing years Richland Lodge blossomed, despite misgivings of Grand Lodge. There was no guarantee that Richland would not turn out to be another construction “Boom Town.” Nothing could have been more wrong. In 1946 alone, 205 degrees were conferred; probably a record for the Grand Jurisdiction of Washington.
Another miracle saved the lodge from the ravages of flood waters. In May 1948, the Columbia River rampaged and inundated hundreds of miles in Washington and Oregon. An engineer brother (Harry Kramer) predicted that everything along the river, including the lodge, would be under water in a matter of hours. So, in the middle of the night every Mason in Richland, who could be reached, rushed down to the Temple with crowbars in hand and pried up every inch of the cherished oak floor. The Temple was later moved to its present location in Richland Heights, overlooking the city – safe from future flood threats.
One of the larger miracles happened with the aid of the Past Grand Master of Missouri) Brother Harry S. Truman, President of the United States at the time. The government had set a price for the sale of the lodge building and of course, the members were anxious to buy it. However, repeated requests to purchase the building were ignored. Finally, one brother wrote to the President and complained about the apparent run around the brethren were experiencing. It is not known how the red tape was cut, but within two months the lodge had the deed to the property. Naturally enough, M ∴ W ∴ Brother Harry S. Truman was made an Honorary Past Master of Richland Lodge, a fact of which it is justly proud.
The lodge is also proud of the 27 Worshipful Masters (Presiding Officers) who have led its destiny, in a town noted for its skilled craftsmen, scientists, professional men, and engineers.
Yes, Richland Lodge is clearly the “Miracle in the Desert.”
Where We Are Today
A lot has happened since our brother Ken West prepared the preceding article. It was truly too good however, to leave out of the history of our lodge!
The lodge was very active through the seventies and eighties, performing degree work and placing cornerstones throughout the community. During the latter part of the nineties, however, not as many men were joining as in the past and the decline continued through the early 2000s.
Social values began to shift in the second half of 2010 when a reemphasis on membership begin to take hold. Men from the Tri-Cities who were interested in improving themselves, practice civility, and strengthen their community began knocking on our door in earnest. Although Lodge meetings were attended regularly by a dozen or so Brothers before, a steady flow of candidates sufficiently completed their degrees between 2017 and 2024. In 2022 alone our lodge conferred over 20 degrees.
Together, the experienced members joined by their new brothers proudly carried out and, in some instances, brought back past traditions. They worked together to forge new experiences that added to the identity of Richland Lodge. By mid-2024 attendance was around 20 to 30 brothers. As of 2024, there have been over 70 Worshipful Masters who have helped to further the lodge’s presence in Richland. One would think that the Coronavirus Pandemic of the early 2020s could have negatively impacted Richland Lodge. With the help of teleconferencing tools, and a desire to preserve Lodge culture, we quickly rebounded from this unique event.
Today we desire to continue Masonic Traditions while creating unique experiences. The lodge maintains the tradition of having a Table Lodge (a program of meeting at a Festive Board and breaking bread) to provide additional fraternal opportunities. To date, there have been 31 Annual Table Lodge events.
Another community outreach project that the brothers have participated in since 2004 is our annual Bikes 4 Books Program. Brothers help to build bikes and deliver them to schools and/or public libraries. These bikes provide incentives for young readers, and it is not uncommon to see these bikes featured on social media pages.
During the holiday season, our lodge stays active in the community by partnering with Kadlec Medical Center and donating toys for children who find themselves in the hospital during the holidays. The toy drive occurs during December, and the lodge contributes enough toys for the hospital to distribute to children for several months of the year. Similarly, we continue to emphasize the importance of fraternity and family during the holiday season by raising funds to be donated to our extended Masonic family (i.e., widows and home bound brothers).
Aside from our efforts to contribute to the well-being of the community, we also work hard to maintain and improve our building and property. Some of the upgrades have included new heating and cooling units, LED exterior lighting, and the installation of several security cameras inside and outside of the building. Other improvements include wireless internet and audio and visual equipment.
We annually support developing our leader’s skills by encouraging their attendance to leadership conferences.
While many changes have happened, our vision remains the same as the day that our brother Ken West prepared the article we opened with. We remain proud of our lodge and hope to not only preserve its legacy, but to continue spreading light in our community and making good men better, one Mason at a time!
