Lodge History

Enterprise Lodge Beginings

A dispensation was issued to Sundry Masons by WM William H. Howard, Grand Master of California, on January 4, 1855, to establish a lodge known as Enterprise Lodge, U.D. in Yuba City, Sutter County. At the sixth Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge on May 4, 1855, a charter was granted, officially recognizing Enterprise Lodge No. 70. The brethren initially held their meetings at the Wooden C Street School, located at the corner of C Street and McRae Streets. Unfortunately, this building no longer exists.

The charter officers and members of Enterprise Lodge No. 70 were as follows:

Officers – WM - C. E. Wilcoxson; SW - C. L. N. Vaughan; JW - D. H. Apperson; Treasurer - C. C. McClure; Secretary - G. M. Hanson; SD - D. G. O'Donnell; JD - J. W. Gaither; Tyler - J. M. Fronk.

Master Masons – M. Rassette; J. A. Brown; C. Burson; A. F. T. Calley; S. Z. Cross; A. B. Davis; J. P. Dillon; D. B. Goode; A. S. Hightower; A. G. Jones; J. B. Kyler; J. Nichols; I. Ramsey; L. W. Taylor; G. W. Watson.

Entered Apprentice Mason – R. G. Boon.

The lodge thrived under the leadership of these officers and members. Their dedication and efficiency ensured Enterprise Lodge No. 70 grew steadily. In 1861, Charter Master Caleb E. Wilcoxson was elected Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of California.

By the 1890s, the lodge had expanded to 115 members, necessitating a larger meeting space. The original schoolhouse lodge could no longer accommodate the growing membership, leading to the

construction of a brick, two-story building at the southwest corner of Second and Bridge Streets in Yuba City. This structure was jointly owned by the Lodge and a retail mercantile establishment; the first floor housed a retail business while the second floor became the Lodge meeting hall.

By April 1870, the new meeting hall was completed and described as being “furnished in a most elegant manner.” At that time, the lodge had 61 members.

Golden Anniversary and Fire of 1907

On January 13, 1905, Enterprise Lodge No. 70 celebrated its Golden Anniversary with 150 members and their ladies in attendance. The event featured live orchestral music, speeches, and remarks by Past Master C. B. Harter and Junior Grand Warden George M. Perins. Following the ceremonies, the attendees repaired to the Odd Fellows Hall for a sumptuous banquet, where the orchestra played until the evening concluded with “Auld Lang Syne.” By this time, the lodge had grown to 142 members.

However, on October 2, 1907, disaster struck Yuba City when a fire destroyed most of Second Street south of the Bridge. The Masonic Temple was damaged but not destroyed, allowing meetings to continue. Unfortunately, an adjoining wooden annex, previously used as a banquet hall, was completely lost. The brick building was eventually rebuilt and remains a business to this day. The lodge members, however, opted to sell their interest in the structure and construct a larger temple two blocks south, at the northeast corner of Second and B Streets. This new edifice became the present home of Enterprise Lodge No. 70.

Construction of the New Temple (1908-1911)

Groundbreaking for the new Masonic Temple took place on January 12, 1908. The Mission Revival-style architecture was a rare sight, built between 1900 and 1910. The temple was constructed with twelve-inch reinforced concrete walls on twelve-inch concrete pilings set twelve feet deep and spaced a few feet apart along a two-foot-wide reinforced concrete foundation.

The timbers used in the structure were felled and prepared in the forests of Georgia (clear Georgia Pine) and transported by ship via the Horn, then up the Sacramento and Feather Rivers before arriving in Yuba City. These exposed timbers extended the full length of the Lodge room. The temple was built primarily by Lodge members, without contracting outside firms. Nearly the entire cost of the building was covered through voluntary member contributions.

On March 22, 1908, a twenty-four-inch by eleven-inch cornerstone was laid during a ceremony conducted by H. D. Moncur, Master. One hundred Masons attended the event, which included placing a sealed lead box containing the Enterprise Charter and various documents behind the stone. By December 1908, the new temple was completed, and the first meeting was held there. This remarkable achievement was accomplished by a dedicated membership of 150 Masons.

The Dedication Ceremony was held on May 30, 1911, led by Grand Master Dana Reid Weller and Grand Lecturer Thomas J. Baker. The event was attended by many Masons from the surrounding area and concluded with a formal dinner.

Later Milestones and Consolidation (1914-1992)

In 1914, the marble stone inscribed with the Masonic emblem was relocated from the old Masonic Hall at Second and Bridge Streets, where it had been since 1869, and placed in the new temple.

By 1930, the Diamond Jubilee was celebrated with 275 Masons in attendance. A banquet and lodge hall gathering featured speeches by prominent Masonic figures, including Grand Master Charles M. Wolenberg, Grand Lecturer Thomas J. Baker, and Master of Enterprise Lodge No. 70, James R. Robinson. Membership had grown to 251 members and would reach 279 by 1949.

On March 25, 1937, a notable Third Degree was conducted, where Clyde B. Harter, Master in 1904, assisted by his four sons, raised his fifth son, Gordon, to the Sublime Degree of Master Mason.

The 100th Anniversary of Enterprise Lodge No. 70 was observed on January 4, 1955, with 100 Masons in attendance for a dinner and tribute led by Master James H. Barr.

In 1992, due to low membership, Roses Bar Lodge No. 89 of Smartsville consolidated with Enterprise Lodge No. 70 by unanimous vote. This increased membership to 334 members, and the consolidation funds were used to upgrade the heating and air conditioning of the temple.

Enterprise Lodge Today

In 1996 and 1997, Master Edmund C. Smith worked tirelessly to establish Enterprise Lodge No. 70 as a point of Historical Interest, a goal that was successfully achieved by September 1997, with membership at 287.

By 2015, Enterprise Lodge No. 70 celebrated its 160th year, with 176 members led by enthusiastic officers. A new round of renovations began in 2017 that saw the exterior of the lodge painted for the first time in its history. The banquet hall also received a new paint and lighting. In 2024, new lights were installed throughout the lodge that accentuated its age and era, as well as a new HVAC system to provide much needed climate control throughout the building. Currently, Enterprise Lodge is in the initial stages of a three-phase restoration plan that will see much of the interior renewed to ornate, period correct detailing with a central focus on the banquet hall and lodge room.

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