#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
In addition to the wealthy class, there were many tourists who came to the city for reasons of health, and many old people came to spend their last days. Both Santa Barbara and Magnolia Lodge assumed a great burden in conducting the funeral of Masons from other jurisdictions, and on the minutes of Magnolia Lodge for September 21, 1877, we find the following: "Brother Charles J. Paddock, PM, presented and read a Resolution to be presented to the Grand Lodge at its next session asking permission to solicit from all Lodges in the United States outside of this jurisdiction, aid to the amount of $1.00 from each Lodge to establish a relief fund at the place."
Charles J. Paddock was the first Master of Magnolia Lodge. Other Masters who are remembered for their outstanding terms were Addison H. Orr, in 1877 and 1878; Benjamin F. Thomas, in 1879 and 1890; Wm. P. Butcher, one of the outstanding trial lawyers in California, who served as Master in 1893, 1895, and 1905 through 1908.
The city government was well represented in Magnolia Lodge. Perry C. Taylor was a member of the Police and Fire Commission. Norris Montgomery and Harvey Nielson had both served as Mayors of the city of Santa Barbara. Past Master Charles L. Tenney was Chief of the Fire Department, Past Master Al Brotherton, Assistant Chief, and Past Master Delmer W. May, Fire Inspector. Chesley Pinkham was Water Superintendent, and former Superintendents E.E. Brown and D.D. Smith were all members.
The two Lodges always got along famously and, in the late 1880's were seriously considering a consolidation. However, due to the large increase in membership of both lodges, the consolidation was never actually consummated. It was around this time that the Lodges were moved to the Lower Clock Building, now the Park Building at State and Ortega, until the current Temple was completed in 1925.