Mission

Washington Lodge #3 and Washington Association Inc. is the owner and responsible for the restoration, operation, and maintenance of the Historic Washington Lodge Masonic Temple located at 39 Baker Street.

Description and Projects

Washington Lodge #3, Free and Accepted Masons received dispensation on June 24, 1796 and chartered on March 15, 1798. It was the first Lodge chartered by the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island.  There were 58 original members, 21 of those were sea captains.  The population of Warren at the time was 1473.  The original members immediately  formed  a  building  committee, and  the  current Lodge Building was completed in 1799.  The first floor was for public use. The second floor was for Masonic meetings and has been continuously used by the  lodge since that time, making it the oldest lodge building in Rhode Island, and the second oldest lodge building in continuous use in the United States. 

Building Description

The construction of the building in 1799 was an ambitious undertaking at the time.  Built by Warren’s craftsmen, the building was constructed with oak timbers that had been parts of the British “stone fleet”, sunk across Newport Harbor in 1778 to impede the American and French landing forces.  Brother Sylvester Child, a member of the building committee, purchased the old ships and floated the timbers up Narragansett Bay and into the Warren River to his shipyard at the foot of Baker and Miller Streets.  The building was finely crafted by local shipwrights, including the Federal-style detailing on the exterior, including corner quoins, and a continuous band of flaring medallions under the roof cornice that are repeated in the richly carved pediments over the doors. The Ionic capitals atop the fluted pilasters framing the doors are exceptional.  Internally, the arched ceiling of the second-floor meeting room boasts oak plate from the beams of a ship.

Restoration of the building is ongoing. Though 18 storm windows have been installed, sashes in 9 windows will be restored and repaired next. In 1915, the Egyptian-themed fresco murals from the “Book of the Dead” and “Papyrus of Ani” were created in our Great Hall. The restoration of these priceless murals by Alexandra Allardt of ArtCare Resources has been ongoing since 2016. She has cleaned and restored all of them except those on the north and south walls. Half of the 100-year-old benches have been reupholstered, and new lighting has been installed.

Membership

Click here to see information on Membership.

CONTACT
washingtonlodge3
@gmail.com

Washington Lodge #3
39 Baker Street
Warren, Rhode Island 02885

SITE TO VISIT
Masonic Temple 
39 Baker Street 
Warren, Rhode Island 02885
(handicapped accessible:
chairlift on stairway from 1st to 2nd floor)

GOOD FOR CHILDREN
Egyptian themed murals painted by Max Muller in 1915 located on the second floor.

HOURS
Second Tuesday of the month
5 - 6:30 pm
(except July and August)
or
upon request
for special tours
and special occasions

VISIT US
Washington Lodge #3