Lodge History

Warwick Lodge No. 336, A.F. & A.M.

Newport News, Virginia

On January 5, 1921, the first Worshipful Master of Warwick Lodge, Phillip W. Huntington, called a meeting of Masons together from the Army community of Camp Eustis to form a Masonic club. After a few more meetings, a committee was formed to secure a place to hold Lodge. A dispensation was granted to form a Lodge and was signed by the Grand Master of Masons in Virginia, most Worshipful John S. Bottimore, on June 21, 1921, and so was born Warwick Lodge No. 336. The first of the hundreds of petitions submitted to the new Lodge was from Dr. Ned O. Lewis, an officer of the United States Army.

The Lodge continued to meet at Camp Eustis until the camp was changed from a military post to a prison camp. The first home of Warwick Lodge came to an end. The Lodge met in homes of members and in temporary locations until they could get funds for a building of their own. James C. Curtis, a contractor and member of the Lodge, was destined to build a Lodge next to the courthouse in Denbigh. A two-story building was constructed for $498.79. It was more or less just a shell. The first floor was still dirt and there were no partitions, but Warwick Lodge had a home in 1932.

Warwick Lodge, like others, suffered a dry season, due mainly to the great depression when many members had to be suspended for nonpayment of dues. However, the Lodge eventually began to grow. As time passed, Warwick County was made a city in 1952. On February 5, 1953, a motion was adopted to appoint a committee to investigate the possibility of acquiring land near the center of population of the City for a new Masonic temple. The Lodge acquired 1.82 acres of land on Warwick Road at the entrance to the Mariner’s Museum. The five trustees were given permission to purchase the two acres as needed for the temple and plans for a new temple moved along.

On March 23, 1963, ground was broken for the new building. Worshipful Lloyd H. Stone, Worshipful Master, turned the first shovel of dirt. The cornerstone was laid on April 20, 1963. The last communication held in the old temple in Denbigh was over, and another era in the life of this Lodge had come to an end. October 3, 1963, the new Lodge was complete and the keys were turned over to the trustees. Just three decades had passed since Warwick Lodge was evicted from Camp Eustis with no place to go, and now they were in their new home.

The lodge celebrated its 50th anniversary in February 1972; Worshipful Charles M. Britt was in the east that year. And their 75th anniversary on April 22, 1997, under the leadership of Worshipful Grover T. Bryant. In 2003, due to a widening of Warwick Blvd and the expansion of Christopher Newport University campus, both adjacent to the Lodge property, the Lodge property was sold. The Lodge moved to the Newport News Scottish Rite Center in May of that year and has occupied a lodge room there since.

Mariner Lodge, who occupied Warwick’s previous lodge building in the Denbigh section of Newport News, merged with Warwick Lodge in 2010. Several lodges were interested in a merger with Mariner. However, several members preferred merging with Warwick because Mariner had “spun-off” from Warwick and felt it was only fitting to return home, so to speak. All members of Mariner Lodge were welcomed to Warwick with a free Life Membership In Perpetuity.

Warwick Lodge celebrated its 100th year on February 15, 2022, under the leadership of Worshipful Master David J. Smallridge and his centennial lodge officers. Warwick Lodge continues to flourish in time with the ancient wisdom of freemasonry.