Helion Lodge #1 is a

Masonic lodge A Masonic lodge (also called Freemasons' lodge, or private lodge or constituent lodge) is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry. It is also a commonly used term for a building where Freemasons meet and hold their meetings. Every new l ...

Huntsville, Alabama Huntsville is the List of municipalities in Alabama, most populous city in the U.S. state of Alabama. The population of the city is estimated to be 241,114 in 2024, making it the List of United States cities by population, 100th-most populous ...

. It is the oldest operating lodge of

Freemasons Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

in the state. According to Grand Historian Joseph Abram Jackson's ''Masonry in Alabama'', it is "the birthplace of Freemasonry in Alabama." Helion Lodge is also the common name for the building (actually named Eunomia Hall for Eunomia Chapter #5

Royal Arch Masons Royal Arch Masonry (also known as "Capitular Masonry") is the first part of the American York Rite system of Masonic degrees. Royal Arch Masons meet as a ''Chapter'', and the Royal Arch Chapter confers four degrees: ''Mark Master Mason, Past Mas ...

who financed its construction), built in 1911, where the lodge meets.

History

In 1805, a Revolutionary War veteran named John Hunt built a log cabin at the

Big Spring Big or BIG may refer to: * Big, of great size or degree Film and television * ''Big'' (film), a 1988 fantasy-comedy film starring Tom Hanks * ''Big'', a 2023 Taiwanese children's film starring Van Fan and Chie Tanaka * ''Big!'', a Discovery C ...

and began what would grow to become the modern city of

. Just six years later, on August 21, 1811, Madison Lodge #21 received its dispensation from the

Grand Lodge of Kentucky The Grand Lodge of Kentucky is one of two state organizations that supervise Masonic lodges in the state of Kentucky. It was established in 1800. The Grand Lodge of Virginia (GLVA) established Lexington Lodge #25, the first Masonic lodge west o ...

. In 1812, it received its official charter from the

. John Hunt was among the first members, as was

LeRoy Pope LeRoy Pope (January 30, 1765 – June 17, 1844) was an American planter, lawyer, and early settler of Madison County, Alabama. He purchased much of the land on which downtown Huntsville, Alabama, now stands, and for his role in the establishment ...

, who had given the city its original name of Twickenham. On April 6, 1818, a second Lodge was formed in the county, Bethesda Lodge #2. In 1824 the two Lodges combined as Helion Lodge #1 under the Grand Lodge of Alabama. Helion Lodge survived the dark years of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, when Huntsville was often occupied by the invading Union Army. The quiet little town grew rapidly after

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, when the area became host to both

Redstone Arsenal Redstone Arsenal is a United States Army base adjacent to Huntsville, Alabama in the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge. A census-designated place in Madison County, Alabama, United States, it is part of the Huntsville-Decatur Combined Statistica ...

and the

Marshall Spaceflight Center Marshall Space Flight Center (officially the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center; MSFC), located in Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville postal address), is the Federal government of the United States, U.S. government's ...

. Notable members involved in the growth of Huntsville's defense and space industry are Senator

John Sparkman John Jackson Sparkman (December 20, 1899 – November 16, 1985) was an American jurist and politician from the state of Alabama. A Southern Democrat, Sparkman served in the United States House of Representatives from 1937 to 1946 and the United ...

and Mayor Joe W. Davis. Helion Lodge soon came to have the largest membership in the state. As a result, in 1962 a new Lodge was formed in Huntsville, Solar Lodge #914. Most of the members came from Helion Lodge. Five years later, in 1967, a third Huntsville Lodge was formed, Apollo #921. Both younger Lodges consider Helion as their mother Lodge and dual membership is common. On Wednesday night, August 30, 1922, Helion was the location of the formation of Twickenham Chapter of The

Order of DeMolay DeMolay International is a youth leadership organization with Masonic origins for young men ages 12 to 21. There is in select areas a "Squire" program for those younger than 12. It was founded in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1919 and named for Ja ...

; the first chapter of The Order of DeMolay in the state of Alabama. In January 2018, an unexplained fire destroyed historical books in the Lodge.

Past Masters

(source for 1811-1995)

Honorary Past Masters

Location

Helion Lodge stands on the original site of Madison Lodge #21 at 409 Lincoln Street in the

Twickenham Historic District Twickenham Historic District was the first historic district designated in Huntsville, Alabama, USA. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 4, 1973, with a boundary increase on May 26, 2015. The name derives from a ...

of Huntsville. The present building is over 100 years old and was designed by a noted architect and Lodge member named Edgar Love. The cornerstone was laid in 1911. The building was officially named Eunomia Masonic Hall after the Royal Arch Chapter, but is now simply called Helion Lodge. It is home to both Helion Lodge and the Huntsville

York Rite In Anglo-American Freemasonry, York Rite, sometimes referred to as the American Rite, is one of several Rites of Freemasonry. It is named after York, in Yorkshire, England, where the Rite was supposedly first practiced. A Rite is a series of ...

bodies, as well as to Twickenham-Milford Order of DeMolay and to White Light Assembly #66,

International Order of the Rainbow for Girls The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls (IORG) is a Masonic youth service organization that teaches leadership training through community service. Young women learn about the value of charity and service through their work and involvem ...

. It is the home of the oldest Lodge of Freemasons in the state of Alabama. The building has a reputation for being haunted by ghosts.

Awards

Helion Lodge received the

Masonic Service Association Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...

of North America's Mark Twain Award for Masonic Awareness in the lodge and in the community consecutively for the years 2008, 2009, and 2010. Helion Lodge received the Twain Award again in 2012. Helion Lodge is the only four time recipient of the Twain Award for Masonic Awareness.

References

External links

Helion Lodge Webpage
{{coord, 34.73029, -86.58127, display=title Masonic Lodges Buildings and structures in Huntsville, Alabama Masonic buildings in Alabama 1811 establishments in Mississippi Territory