Officers and members of King Solomon’s Lodge, A.F. & A.M. at the annual rededication ceremony of the original monument at Bunker Hill. Wor. James Norton, presiding Master, led the event and then afterward attendees went to dinner at the Warren Tavern – where King Solomon’s Lodge first met when formed by Paul Revere in 1783 – King Solomon’s Lodge is celebrating their 225th Anniversary this year in conjunction with the 275th Anniversary of the Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts. King Solomon’s Lodge is located at 125 Highland Avenue, Somerville.

                                                 KING SOLOMON‚ÄôS LODGE AF & AM

                                WHY WE REDEICATE THE ORIGINAL MONUMENT

On the night of the 16th of June in 1775, a peaceful pasture, surrounded by a rail fence to keep the cows from straying away, was disturbed by the marshaling of 1200 men who immediately set to work at the erection of earthworks from which to hurl defiance at those who would deprive them of their rights. Twenty-four hours later this had become the site of one of the famous battles of the new world, for here many of our Masonic brethren had given up their lives in order that freedom might be established on this continent. Most prominent among these was our Brother, the Most Worshipful Joseph Warren.
   
After this war was over and they had again taken up their several vocations, it was born in the minds of these veterans that a lodge of Masons would be appropriate. Eight men met at Mr. Richard Trumball‚Äôs on August 20th 1783 and voted to petition for a charter which was granted on September 5th 1783. Among the famous names signed on the Charter was that of Brother Paul Revere who at that time was the Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. 

We are therefore the first lodge to receive a charter from an American Grand Lodge, it having been granted but a short time after the signing of the peace treaty.
      
On November 11, 1794, it was voted to erect a Monument in the memory of Most Worshipful Joseph Warren who fell in that battle. A committee was appointed to wait upon the Hon. James Russell for his permission to proceed. He generously offered a Deed of as much land as might be necessary for the purpose. They then proceeded to erect a Tuscan Pillar, eighteen feet in height, placed upon a platform two feet high, eight feet square and fenced around to protect it from injury.

This monument was dedicated by Wor. Bro. John Soley, Master of King Solomon’s Lodge, on December 2nd 1794, after which nine-minute guns were discharged by a detachment of Captain Smiths’s Artillery Company, with the flag displayed at half-mast high.

On June 9th 1796, a road was fenced out to the monument that easier access might be had. This monument was destroyed by vandals some years later and scattered so far that the stone bearing its inscription was found after many years serving as a steeping stone to a house in Arlington. It was recovered and presented back to the lodge by Hiram Lodge of Arlington and has been framed and placed in the lodge room in Somerville.

When the plans for the present monument were started it was found that we owned the land in the center and it was proposed that we sell it to the Bunker Hill Monument Association. An agreement was made, however, that we give it to them on condition that our model monument would be placed in a conspicuous place in the larger one. This was done and it stands today well lighted at the foot of the stairway leading to the top of the monument.

On June 17th 1825, the Lodge was in attendance at the laying of the cornerstone by our illustrious  Brother, General Lafayette, and presented him with a gold-headed cane made from one of the cedar posts of the original monument.

One June 24th 1845, we placed with appropriate ceremonies, our model in the monument.   Right Worshipful John Soley, Jr., then a Past Grand Master, being present.
       
This in brief is the reason why we, on or near the 17th of each June, hold celebration in our Lodge and each presiding Master since that time has placed a wreath at the foot of our “model” in the monument.

Photos by Diane Amato