#192 F.&A.M.
Table Lodge Dinner. 5:30pm Building tour, 6:00pm Lodge open on 1°, 6:15pm dinner. Celebrating Santa Barbara Lodge’s 140th anniversary.
Santa Barbara Masonic Lodge
16 East Carrillo Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93101
(805) 966-4502
"The Chapules (locusts) have taken possession of the Town, they have eaten all the barley, wheat, etc., there is not a thing left by them they cleaned me of everything, and I expect if I do not move out of this town soon, they will eat me also. Damn the Chapules! I have lost about two thousand dollars."
The drought of 1863-1864 also resulted in the closure of many area cattle ranches. With the completion of the transcontinental railroad to San Francisco in 1869 Santa Barbara became easier to reach and things turned around as the tourist business began to arrive by overland stagecoach.
The earliest recorded Masonic meeting ever held in this city was of Santa Barbara Lodge U. D. on July 10, 1868, under the dispensation issued by Worshipful Master William A. Davis, Grand Master and under the sponsorship of Los Angeles Lodge No. 42. The Charter was issued on October 22, 1868, under the direction of Samuel Prager, Past Master of Los Angeles Lodge acting as Grand Master; thus becoming the 192nd Californian lodge.
The first Officers were Joseph Rich, Master; Stephen Olmstead, Senior Warden; Edmond Pew, Junior Warden; Edgar Van Valkenburg, Treasurer; John Stearns, Secretary; A. C. Wilson, Senior Deacon; Andrew Horn, Junior Deacon; Hiram Linville, Tiler.
The first twenty years were spent in a building at the corner of State and Haley, making use of the Odd Fellows Hall.
Until the 1870's, Santa Barbara was isolated from the outside world by the ocean and the mountains. In 1872, Bro. John Stearns built a wharf to provide for his lumber business and opened up Santa Barbara's waterfront.