| Keywords | landmark historic marker Solomon's Lodge Georgia Savannah No. 1 F. & A. M organized Masonic lodge February 21 1734 master general James Edward Oglethorpe statesman humanitarian founder of Georgia English soldier English constituted lodge western hemisphere master of Georgia William Stephens historical institutions USA travel United States of America United States America US GA Chatham County history historical historical marker famous highway popular place of interest tourist attraction tourist destination travel destination tour tourism tourist attraction destination sign American education historical site roadside roadsign James Edward Oglethorpe flag of England February 12 1733 chartered grand lodge England 1735 Ye province of Georgia Solomon operating independent proclaimed first lodge 1734 brethren distinction vital positions leadership fraternal affairs first grand master craft 1786-1788 1793-1813 greatest governed worshipful institution revered 100000 freemasons mother lodge free accepted masons educational & historical commission honored | Caption | Solomon's Lodge No. 1, F. & A. M. Savannah, Georgia - Organized as a Masonic lodge February 21, 1734, It's first worshipful master was general James Edward Oglethorpe, English soldier, statesman, humanitarian and founder of Georgia, who raised the flag of England at Savannah on February 12, 1733. Chartered by the grand lodge of England in 1735 as "The lodge at Savannah in Ye province of Georgia." Solomon's is the oldest continuously operating English constituted lodge in the western hemisphere. In 1786 the independent grand lodge of Georgia, F. & A. M., was created and proclaimed by concerted action of Solomon's and the one other lodge then existing in the state. Solomon's was chartered as the first lodge of Georgia. From its beginning in 1734 brethren of Solomon's lodge have served with distinction in vital positions of leadership in public and fraternal affairs of city, colony, state and nation. The lodge produced the first grand master of Georgia, F. & A. M., William Stephens, who governed the Georgia craft from 1786-1788 and 1793-1813. Solomon's lodge, one of Savannah's greatest historical institutions, is honored and revered by the nearly 100, 000 freemasons of this state as the mother lodge of Georgia, free and accepted masons. Marker placed by the educational & historical commission Grand Lodge of Georgia, F. & A. M., 1969 |