History of Star Lodge No 78

The initial meeting held in the McMullen hotel, under dispensation of the Grand Master of Florida Masons, on August 14, 1875 brought about the agreement of the group in attendance to petition the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Florida to charter and constitute a lodge under the name of Star Lodge.  On January 13, 1876 Star Lodge #78 received its charter.  The early meetings were held the first and third Saturdays of each month in upper rooms of the hotel, but in 1877 were changed to 7 pm on the Saturday on or before the full moon.  This was done to enable the brethren living some distance from the lodge to take advantage of the moon's light to make their way home after meetings.

In 1899 the lodge negotiated a 99-year lease for the second floor of Bay View School from the Hillsborough County Board of Public Instruction with the stipulation that the lodge would pay the construction costs for a second story on the building. 

Many members of Star Lodge #78 were from the Largo area and by 1908 gave up its lease and moved to Largo.  Lodge rooms were shared with the Knights of Pythias on the third floor of the Farmers Alliance Exchange.  The Farmers Alliance Exchange was the Wal-Mart Super Store of that era, where one could purchase anything from a piano to a coffin. 

In 1910 the Taylor building was erected and the Lodge moved to the third floor of that building.  Some years later when a leak in the roof caused the lodge floors to warp, arrangements were made with Pinellas County to rent space at the north end of the second floor of the Pinellas County Bank.  In 1947 Star Lodge bought the building from the County and by 1955 had paid off the mortgage.  A mortgage burning ceremony was held at a pot luck dinner with Magnolia Chapter #101, Order of the Eastern Star.  By 1959 Star Lodge was so busy that Magnolia Chapter #101 changed its meeting night in order to allow Star Lodge to meet every Monday night. 

On November 11, 1967 groundbreaking ceremonies for a new lodge building were conducted and in 1968 the lodge moved to its current location.  The lodge growth has paralleled that of the community and many of its members were active in town government, civic service and church organizations, as well as the business life of the area.

Edited and published from an article submitted by W. B. Don Harwood for May 2003 publication of 'Further Light' , the Official publication of the Florida Lodge of Research.

Additional Information Offered by the Webmaster

With additional research and in conjunction with the Pinellas Historical Society and Heritage Park Archivists, one can justly acknowledge the statement that lodge and community growth has been running neck and neck.  Many of our streets, parks and buildings carry the names of both the community leaders and the Lodge leaders. 

Nowhere in the community of Pinellas County do you not discover names of both.  Names like McMullen, Taylor, Ulmer, Belcher, Feaster, Madson, and Judkins constantly show in local histories as Mayors, Commissioners, Managers and Star Lodge members, masters and officers.                    ---R. Wampole, P.M. and WebMaster

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