Santa Rosa Masonic Lodge
| Santa Rosa Masonic Lodge No. 16 | |
|---|---|
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Address | 5158 Pike St. |
| Town or city | Milton, Florida |
Santa Rosa Masonic Lodge No. 16 is a Greek Revival building in Milton, Florida. It is the oldest building in Santa Rosa County and the oldest standing masonic lodge in the US state of Florida.
History
Santa Rosa Masonic Lodge No. 16 was initially organized on October 31, 1846, with the first meeting held in a dilapidated house on November 7. The lodge would continue to occupy the house until 1847, when they moved to the Santa Rosa County Courthouse. Santa Rosa Masonic Lodge officially organized on February 11, 1848.
In 1853, the Masons sold their lodge at the courthouse and planned to build a new one, but that was delayed by a yellow fever epidemic in the area. The new lodge was built on Canal Street between May 29 and October 20 of 1855. A notable member of the lodge at this time was Senator Charles W. Jones.
The building was occupied by the Union Army from 1862 to 1865. According to local legend, the Union held a ball and invited local girls to dance, but when not a single girl showed up, the soldiers danced with each other. After the war, the building was in disrepair from the soldiers' misuse of it.
The building was transported on rail ties to its current location on Pike Street in 1915 to make way for the construction of the Santa Rosa High School and Graded School. The Masonic Lodge held the title of the second oldest building in Santa Rosa County for decades until the Old Customs House was demolished in 1984.
The building is a contributing property to the Milton Historic District.[1]
References
- ↑ "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: Milton Historic District". September 1987. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
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