SMITHTON MASONIC LODGE # 1 A. F. & A. M.

HIGHLAND, KANSAS  

Short History of Smithton Masonic Lodge

     When an application was made to the Grand Lodge of Missouri for a dispensation to hold a lodge of Master Masons at Smithfield, Kansas Territory the request being granted the first regular Lodge of Master Masons was held near Smithfield on November 30 1854 on a hill overlooking the Missouri river with John Smith as Worshipful Master.

    Smithton Masonic Lodge is the oldest lodge in Kansas it was organized 1854 and charted in 1856. The lodge originated in Burr Oak Bottoms north of Wathena, Kansas where they met under a large oak tree pictured above with a burr-oak stump for the altar.   In 1855 the Lodge moved to the new town of Iola South of Sparks, Kansas.   In 1856 after the new town of Iola failed the lodge moved to Iowa Point, Kansas.  In 1872 the lodge moved to Highland, Kansas where it has remained.

  The following lodges have merged with Smithton Lodge # 1   Leona, Severance, White Cloud, Bendena & Denton.

Lodge Projects

        Scholarships, essay contest, Girls State, Boys State, Kansas Society for Children with Challenges  and N. E. Kansas food pantry.

    Smithton lodge meets on the first Thursday of each month from September to May at 6:00 p.m. for Dinner with regular meeting to follow all brothers are welcome.