Chapter 1: 1922 - 1930

During the first quarter of this century the portion of Arlington County with which we are concerned consisted mostly of rural areas separating a number of closely knit communities such as Rosslyn, Clarendon, Ballston, Cherrydale and East Falls Church.

There were however a number of other name-bearing communities or sub-divisions which grew up around strategic road points or more particularly at or near streetcar stops. The Great Falls and Old Dominion Railroad, even more than Lee Highway, Glebe Road or Wilson Boulevard, was responsible for the growth of these communities. This branch of The Washington and Old Dominion Railroad originally ran from 36th and M Streets in Georgetown, across the old Aqueduct Bridge to Rosslyn, and then westward to Great Falls. There were more than a score of scheduled stops between Rosslyn and Great Falls, and a large majority of them were within Arlington County. Among the latter were Park Lane, Clark, Thrifton, Dominion Heights (Maywood), Cherrydale, Greenwood, Livingstone Heights, Lyonhurst, Summit (later called Rixey) at Glebe Road, Jewell, Vanderwerken (in Arlington County) and Franklin Park (in Fairfax County).

A freight line branched off at Thrifton. Junction, crossed Lee Highway and ran along Kirkwood Road for a short distance and then westward, crossing North Quincy Street on the north side of what is now Washington-Lee High School and on to East Falls Church. Speaking in general terms the area between these lines, and northward to the Potomac River became the jurisdiction of Cherrydale Lodge, plus an area south of the junction of the two lines at Thrifton; for the jurisdiction line between Columbia and Cherrydale Lodges as it was finally drawn ran on a straight line west from; a point in Rosslyn near Key Bridge, crossing North Quincy Street between 13th and 14th Streets and beyond to the County line.

Attendance of lodge meetings at Columbia Lodge in Clarendon was something of a problem for those members who lived in Cherrydale and other parts of the area described. They could of course take a street car to Rosslyn and change to a third line which ran southward to what is now called Arlington Boulevard (Fort Myer car stop), then to Hatfield and change to one going to Clarendon where there was a stop on Washington Boulevard opposite the Clarendon Trust Co. That procedure required a careful watching of the car-line schedule which was not arranged particularly for late evening travel. Actually, since automobiles were not in general use even as late as the early twenties, and most of the residents did not own horses, either, the usual mode of travel to lodge meetings was to walk across the fields. While we consider our founders pioneers they were not the type of pioneers who opened the wilderness areas of our country. They were, for the most part, employees or officials of the Nation's government, or business and professional people who were employed in Washington, D.C., or similar people with offices or businesses in this Washington suburb. It was natural enough that they should seek an answer to the problem presented by the lack of transportation. There was little likelihood that public transportation across the county from north to south would eventuate at an early date, since the primary need was for transportation to and from Washington. Then, as now, this area was one of the "bedroom" areas of the Nation's Capitol.

Consequently, as our founders walked the fields homeward-bound after a late lodge meeting at Columbia they frequently discussed the need for a lodge at Cherrydale. Sentiment favoring the project grew and on November 7, 1921, Columbia Lodge approved a petition for the formation of such a lodge. Although the area to be served was under the exclusive jurisdiction of Columbia Lodge, the petition was presented to and approved by Kemper Lodge in Falls Church as well. Signers of the petition were:

(click name link for photo)
Lyman M. Moore	Kemper Lodge # 64
and
John S Warner	B. S. Hutson
Louis Bulicek	Lloyd W. Rountree
John G. Dudley	J. R. McCormick
John J. Waddell	Carney I. Taylor
John E. Rountree	John Smithdeal
C. A. Mason	Hugh S. Ladd
J. H. Walton	T. B. Adams
Reynolds T. Harnsberger	William N. Prender
Hastings W. Baker	Frank J. Brennan
L. F. Smith	John E. Richardson
Samuel C. Leizear	G. Samuel Warner
E. Hurst Handy	S. F. Cooper
Frank J. Hallock	L. S. Springer, Jr
W. H. Waldo	Gustave E. Rausch
E. W. Comley	W. W. Livingston
Ernest M. Shreve	Edward L. Ransdell
Jesse W. Rohrback	A. C. Cosdon
Joseph L. May	L. Garland Kendrick
Herbert H. Porter	W. C. Shelley
Harry K. Green
all of Columbia Lodge #285

The petition was presented through the DDGM for the 54th Masonic District, RWB William H. Goldsmith, to the Grand Master of Masons in the Commonwealth of Virginia, MWB John S. Bottimore, who on November 15th, 1921, issued a dispensation to Cherrydale Lodge, U.D.

The lodge was formally instituted on December 1,1921, at a meeting in Fireman's Hall, Cherrydale, with the Grand Master presiding. There were 138 brethren present, including many from the District of Columbia. WB John G. Dudley was designated Worshipful Master of the new lodge, with Brother John H. Warner, Senior Warden and Brother Louis Bulicek, Junior Warden. Petitions for membership were received at the first meeting from D. E. Wisecarver and George A. Leissler, Jr.

Cherrydale Fire Hall where the lodge met on the second floor from December 1, 1921 to September 12, 1925, when it moved to Cherrydale Masonic Temple built by Ernest Rauth

As the lodge was anxious to raise a candidate before the Grand Lodge convened in February, 1922, Brother Wisecarver received his degrees in minimum time. His petition was acted upon at the stated meeting of January 5, 1922, and the entered apprentice degree was conferred at the same meeting by the Junior Deacon, Brother Ransdell and Brother G. Samuel Warner delivered the lecture. Brother Wisecarver was examined on his entered apprentice catechism at the next stated meeting on January 19th and received the fellowcraft degree the same night. He was examined on his fellowcraft catechism the following stated communication, February 2, 1922, and on the same evening was raised to the sublime degree of master mason.

The petition for the charter was approved by the Grand Lodge at its annual communication in February, 1922, and the Grand Master, MWB John S. Bottimore, issued the charter on February 15th, 1922. The new lodge was constituted on March 15, 1922, with RWB M. W. Fox, DDGM for the 54th Masonic District, presiding.

Twelve members were gained by degrees during the period from December 1, 1921, to December 1st, 1922, and ten were gained by affiliation. Added to the 41 who were members upon dispensation, the lodge at the end of 1922 consisted of 63 members. This figure increased to 73 at the end of 1923, during which year nine candidates were raised and two were gained by affiliation, with one lost by demit. Another ten were raised during 1924, but six more were lost by demit leaving a total of 77 members. There is some indication that those lost by demit during 1923 and 1924 were members who joined to aid in the establishment of the new lodge but seeing its rapid progress discontinued their dual membership.

One of those raised in 1924 was Brother Hugh M. Reid who received his master mason's degree on March 20th in the presence of RWB Harry K. Green, the DDGM, during the latter's official visit to Cherrydale Lodge. In response to a Grand Lodge resolution recommending that newly raised brethren learn the master mason's catechism, Brother Reid was requested to prepare himself for examination in May. On May 15th he gave a very creditable examination, the first member of Cherrydale Lodge to do so. Both Brother Reid and Brother Green, a charter member of Cherrydale Lodge, went on to become Grand Masters of Masons in Virginia. Cherrydale Lodge continued to meet in Fireman's Hall until September 12, 1925, when it moved into a new building, constructed nearby by one of its own members, Brother Ernest W. Rauth. Situated on the south side of the main street in Cherrydale, just opposite the present temple at 3805 Lee Highway, the new building was called the Masonic Temple. The structure still stands and may be identified by "The Temple Barber Shop," located on the ground floor. MWB Charles H. Callahan and a large gathering of distinguished masons visited Cherrydale Lodge on October 24, 1925, to participate in the housewarming ceremonies in the new lodge room.

The year 1925 was a very busy one, the membership increasing to 94 during the year. It was necessary frequently to confer different degrees at the same communication. The minutes show that one meeting was closed at 12:55 a.m., and many lasted until after midnight. A note of sadness must be interjected here. WB Edward L. Ransdell, Cherrydale Lodge's fourth master, who served the lodge during this busy year, died in March 1926, less than three months after the close of his year in the East. His funeral services were conducted on March 13th at a meeting attended by 90 visitors from other lodges in Virginia and the District of Columbia.

It is apparent that during the first decade of its existence Cherrydale Lodge was served by a host of dedicated masons. By the close of 1928 the membership had increased to 107 and stood at 122 at the end of 1930. The lodge was privileged to welcome many visitors. Some were so regular in attendance that they came to be looked upon as Cherrydale members. Grand lodge officers in particular visited frequently, being impressed by the friendliness of the lodge and the ritualistic excellence of its officers.

The founding years gave birth to a number of consequential "firsts." Brother Reid, as previously noted, was the first member to recite the master mason's catechism in open lodge. It was during this period that the first attempt was made to establish a Masters' and Wardens' Association. Under the direction of WB Jesse Rohrback, the first of our regular monthly bulletins was printed in 1928. During the same year a regular school of instruction was founded.

The lodge received a number of gifts in these years. On October 20, 1927, Brother Edward Young presented the lodge a handsome, framed picture of Brother George Washington at Valley Forge, which hangs on the wall of the social hall. Brother Hugh Reid presented the lodge a set of Wardens' Columns, made of teak obtained from an American sailing vessel and "turned" by his son. The emblems which still appear on the officers' pedestals were the gift of Brother Fred Doe. It is generally believed that they were made from “lumber" taken from a cigar box.

Of great significance to the future of Cherrydale Lodge was the appointment of a Temple Committee on August 5, 1926. This decision was followed by the creation of a temple fund the following month. These decisions are significant not so much from the standpoint of their immediate accomplishment but as indicating a determination from its beginning that Cherrydale Lodge must have a home of its own. The objective was to be realized exactly ten years later.

End of Chapter 1