In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, let there be light: and there was light.
In 1801, God provided 100 acres of land for Jacob Van Court to settle on in northwest Pennsylvania near French Creek. The earliest references to French Creek having been made by George Washington when he crossed it in 1753 carrying messages to the French at Fort LeBoeuf.
The area around the Van Court property was originally known as Rockdale in 1822 then Cambridge in 1866, Cambridgeborough in 1868, Cambridgeboro in 1892 and finally Cambridge Springs in 1897.
In 1859, Colonel Edwin L. Drake discovered oil in nearby Titusville, Pennsylvania. Dr. John H. Gray, who owned property north of French Creek, at Cambridge, decided to probe for oil too, but was disappointed to only discover mineral water. That find became significant when he learned of the medicinal properties of the water after a trip to Hot Springs, Arkansas. In 1884 Dr. Gray opened a springhouse just north of Cambridgeboro and thus began a remarkable growth spell for the town and area.
People learned of the presumed healing properties of mineral water and began to flock to the area. (Many years later, those healing properties were disproven by advances in medical knowledge.) Numerous hotels and cottages sprang up and additional mineral springs were found and developed. In 1887 the famed Riverside Hotel was opened followed by the Rider Hotel in 1897. By the early 1900’s over 40 hotels and cottages were in the area. With the location of the town being exactly halfway between Chicago and New York City (by train), the population and economy of the town grew rapidly.
If one considers the primary modes of transportation in 1870 and the weather that would be expected from fall through spring in northwestern Pennsylvania, it’s not hard to recognize why the masonic brothers from the local area would desire to have a lodge in their own town. The nearest lodge was in Edinboro seven miles to the north that was constituted in 1868. There were also lodges in Meadville, fifteen miles to the south, but traveling by horseback or buggy would have been a challenge in pleasant weather and in harsh Pennsylvania winters it would have been very difficult.
In February 1870, eight members of Oasis Lodge No. 416, in nearby Edinboro, petitioned The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania for a charter for a Lodge to be in Cambridgeboro. The charter was granted and on July 19,1870, Covenant Lodge No. 473 was constituted. The twelve total charter members were all made Master Masons in other Lodges. Eleven of them were from Oasis and one from Grand Rapids Lodge No. 289, in Ohio. The total membership for that year was twenty-one. membership was made up of farmers, blacksmiths, merchants, teachers, druggists, and a Doctor of Medicine. The Lodge was located on the second floor of the Grange Co-operative grocery store owned by J. L. Kelly. This building was located on the northwest corner of Main and McClellan Streets. The rent was $100 per year.
The membership increased slowly in the first years but as the town prospered, so did the Lodge. By the early 1880’s the members were becoming dissatisfied with the location and condition of the Lodge building. They also desired to relocate to a more central location. In 1889 the Lodge purchased a lot on the east side of South Main Street in the heart of the business district and a two-story brick building was erected. The first meeting held in the new Masonic Hall was on November 8, 1889.
On April 1, 1897 the Masonic Hall was destroyed by fire along with most of the business district on both sides of the street. It was a total loss, nothing saved but the charter and records. The Grange Hall located on Venango Avenue was used for meetings and the members immediately went to work securing funds and plans to build a new building. Just over one year after the fire, on July 22, 1898, the first meeting was held in the new building. The same building that exists at the present time.
The Lodge and the town flourished until the 1930’s when the Depression and the decline of the tourist business caused membership to fall from 150 to 113. Then after World War II, membership increased to a high of around 200 at the time of the 100th Anniversary. But, as times change, so do the needs of the people and there are so many who think they don’t have time for organizations like Freemasonry.
Looking through the membership rolls over the past 154 years many of the names are a “Who’s Who” of prominent businessmen, community leaders, and men who helped develop the town. It is a testament to the masonic adage of “making good men better”.
Today membership is only 71 but the legacy continues and the hard work and dedication of those who have come before us has not been forgotten. We will continue to promote the tenets of Freemasonry for years to come.
Footnote: Some of the information contained herein was taken from research by Warren “Bud” Goodge who was Worshipful Master at the time of the 100th Anniversary in 1970. Additional information was taken from “Around Cambridge Springs” written by Sharon Smith Crisman and the Cambridge Springs Heritage Society.
F. Philip Right PM Secretary
May 6, 2024
1870 Covenant Lodge constituted, July 19, 1870
1889 Purchased lot on Main Street from George Faber for $1000, May 2, 1889
1889 first meeting in new building, November 8, 1889
1897 Fire destroys building, April 1, 1897
1898 first meeting in new building, July 22, 1898
1970 100-year anniversary celebration was held
2020 150th anniversary celebration was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
