By Todd C. Elliott
It has been in place in Lake Charles since before it was called “Lake Charles.” Many a driver has passed it on Hodges Street, yet few have ever seen the inside of the structure that is the third inception of the Masonic Temple, home of Lodge no. 165.
When the maps still read “Charleston” and the Calcasieu River carried more cypress than commerce, a Masonic Temple stood watch over the young frontier town finding its footing. Its cornerstones were laid in an era when oaths were spoken in low light and reputations were built by handshakes — long before neon beer signs and interstate exits defined the skyline.
The building has endured hurricanes, oil booms and busts, and wars. Its brick, steel and timber absorbed the whispered history of Southwest Louisiana like a well-worn Bible passed from one generation to the next.
Inside, past the heavy doors and the scent of old pine and polished regalia, the story unfolds through photographs carefully preserved by Lodge no. 165. Guiding the tour is lodge secretary Richard B. Smith, an active Free and Accepted Mason since 1981. Smith’s steady stewardship has turned the temple into a living archive. Through sepia-toned portraits, faded banquet programs, and images of past Worshipful Masters standing ramrod straight beneath old gaslit chandeliers, Smith narrates not just the evolution of a fraternity but the parallel rise of the city that grew up around it.
“There are three cornerstones on this building because there’ve been three buildings on this site,” said Smith. “The first masons began here in 1859 when they received a dispensation to start a lodge. In 1860, they got a charter for this lodge. We didn’t get a charter for the city of Lake Charles until 1867. So, this Lake Charles lodge is older than the city of Lake Charles and (chartered) before (the area) was incorporated as Charleston in 1861.”
In 1855, Captain Daniel Goos, who would later became a “founding father” of Lake Charles, arrived in the small, unincorporated village known in the area as Charlie’s Lake, which had a handful of log cabins and a population of Native Americans. Goos was a founding member of the lodge in Lake Charles and attended early meetings on the square in the lodge’s original wooden structure. Before building the first Masonic lodge, Goos built the first sawmill in the area, shifting the dynamic of Southwest Louisiana.
“A lot of the founding fathers of Lake Charles are the founders of Freemasonry in Lake Charles,” said Smith. “This was a lumber town. That’s what the industry was here. So, the first building was wood. And it was used as probably like the Event Center of Lake Charles (is used today), because at that time there were not that many civic buildings around. The first building lasted until about 1910. The great fire of Lake Charles didn’t burn the building, but (the) lodge membership was growing in number and had affluent donors. They built a brick veneer building on this site in 1910. Everything went well, and the building was beautiful. (During the) hurricane of 1918, a large tree fell through middle of the building and demolished it. That’s when the men of the lodge decided to build a virtually indestructible building during the eve of the 1920s, when the economy was bustling.”
The third and final cornerstone on the temple was laid Nov. 9, 1919, by Lake Charles citizen and Grand Master for the Grand Lodge of Louisiana Rudolph Krause. Smith says the structure at 717 Hodges still stands as intended with four course brick walls. It’s a steel superstructure on a concrete slab. At the time, it was one of the best built structures of the era.
“It’s going to be here for a long, long time, as far as we can tell,” said Smith. “Even though it’s well built, the hurricanes of 2020 really caused a great deal of damage. Even though it was an ill-wind, it did blow some good luck to us with some insurance money. We were available to rebuild and renovate the temple. And now we have the original décor of the temple, now with modern plumbing, electrical and air-conditioning. Now it has the comforts of the 21st century.”
So, what’s been going on for 166 years on Hodges Street in downtown Lake Charles? What is a Free and Accepted Mason? Don’t look to the internet if you are seeking information on exactly what freemasonry is. The internet and social media can lead conspiracy theorists down a rabbit hole and describe a supposed “secret society” bent on controlling the world. Smith wholeheartedly disagrees.
“First, we are not a secret society,” said Smith. “When anyone drives up in front of this building, one can see that it has the words ‘Masonic Temple’ on the front; it has the symbol of the square and compass on the front. If we were a secret society, you wouldn’t know anything about us. What we are is a society that has private meetings, where we have secrets. Those are our rituals of initiation, our means of recognition, but the things we do in the lodge are things that are intended to help the individual member grow in their personal well-being.
“Being a man today is lot different than it was 100 years ago. There are a lot more challenges in being a man today than in the past. The philosophy of the masonic fraternity is to make good men better. We can’t make bad men good. But we can make good men better. It’s not a destination. It’s not a religion, though all members have to believe in a monotheistic God. It’s a lifelong commitment. We don’t recruit, either. Any man who wants to join has to ask to join.”
The Grand Lodge of Louisiana, the body that oversees all masonic temples and lodges in Louisiana, has a website that answers some of the questions a young man may have. And, yes, it is exclusive to men. At its core, it is the largest and oldest fraternity in the known world, with an emphasis on the brotherhood of men.
According to the state website, freemasonry has roots that trace back centuries. Built upon ritual, tradition and a shared moral framework, its enduring mission is simple yet profound: making good men better. During eras marked by political upheaval, military conflict and religious division, the fraternity’s emphasis on friendship, compassion and brotherly love has remained steadfast.
Contrary to common misconception, freemasonry is neither a political forum nor a house of worship. It does not seek to replace or compete with religion. Rather, it stands as a companion to faiths grounded in the belief in one God, welcoming men of varied creeds who share that foundational conviction.
The fraternity’s historical footprint in the United States is significant. Among its members were many early patriots, including 13 signers of the Constitution and 14 U.S. presidents, beginning with George Washington. Today, freemasonry’s reach extends across the globe, with more than four million members representing nearly every profession and walk of life.
Inside the lodge, titles and status fall away. Men gather as equals — diverse in politics, varied in background, united in fellowship. What binds them is not uniformity of thought but a shared commitment to moral improvement, mutual respect, and belief in one God.
If, as some opine, Charles Sallier’s house, the first built in the area, is the birthplace of Lake Charles, then the site at 717 Hodges in Lake Charles is the cradle. In the uncertain annals of history, one must believe or accept an historical foundation. It is upon that foundation that cities and citizens build. Builders have come and gone upon the site between Division and Broad Streets. The magnificent face of the building, with its rounded brick corners, looks to the west. Visitors and travelers alike must enter through front door to travel through the building, passing eastward in seeking more light. Now in its third incarnation, the Masonic Temple of Lodge no. 165 has remained, grounded in a historical legacy. While the future is always unknown, one thing that is known is this: Should the temple on Hodges Street fall, another builder will come. A new lodge will be built in the same west-to-east pattern. The lodge stands as a landmark and compass, the original town square.
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