The year was 1910. Haley's Comet had returned, the world land speed record was set in the United State at 131.7 miles per hour, Mark Twain and Florence Nightingale died, and a key step was taken that led to the formation of the Alexandria Scottish Rite. On March 14 of that year the first meeting of the Washington Memorial Lodge of Perfection was held in the home of James M. Duncan. Bro. William Goheen LeHew was elected as the first Venerable Master. Subsequent meetings were then held at the Masonic Temple on the 3rd floor of the City Hall of Alexandria.
The next important step occurred in 1911, which saw the first Indy 500 race and the adoption of Greenwich Mean Time as our national standard. On October 16 of that year the Supreme Council for the Southern Jurisdiction met and issued the charters to the four Bodies that constitute the Alexandria Scottish Rite:
Washington Memorial Lodge of Perfection
Randolph Chapter Knights Rose Croix No. 3
Lafayette Preceptory of Knights of Kadosh No. 2
Virginia Consistory No. 2
In that same year, two days later, on October 18, 1911, another historic event occurred. At the request of the Supreme Council, the Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia presided over the Cornerstone laying for the magnificent new headquarters of the Supreme Council, the House of the Temple. The silver trowel used by President and Brother George Washington at the laying of the cornerstone of the U. S. Capitol was used in the ceremony. The House of the Temple located in Washington, DC at Sixteenth Street, NW, between R and S Streets, designed by the famous architect John Russell Pope, is based upon the famous Mausoleum at Halicarnassus, one of the "Seven Wonders of the Ancient World."
Our meeting place was more humble. In 1920, the Valley purchased a building at the corner of Cameron and N. Alfred Streets in Alexandria. This building was to be the home of the full-time secretary, who was paid $150 per month plus utilities. It also included several bachelor apartments which were rented. The building was sold in 1943.
In 1928 a small group of active members met to review Valley problems, and concluded that a new Temple should be built in the city of Alexandria at a cost of between $150,000 and $200,000.In 1929, the Valley approved its first set of comprehensive bylaws. That also was the year that Harry Flood Byrd, Sr. (then Governor of Virginia) was elected by acclamation to receive the degrees, and the Fall Reunion, held Oct. 15-18, was the first conferral of Masonic degrees by any group in the George Washington Masonic Memorial. Some of the other events of 1929 included the awarding of the first Oscar in Hollywood, the first demonstration of color TV, and "Black Thursday" which led to the crash of Wall Street.
The depression era had its impact on the Valley and its members. Many members were out of work and couldn't afford to pay their dues. This, plus the fact that fewer candidates were coming forward for degrees, caused the Valley to cut salaries by 20% in 1932. Refreshments following meetings were reported as being a box of cigars passed among those in attendance.
Following World War II, the Valley, and all of Freemasonry, saw a large influx in membership as the generation who had put their lives on hold because of the war came home and desired a return to normalcy.
When the 33rd degree was conferred at the Supreme Council in October of 1945, the recipients were surprised and honored to have as one of their Classmates President Harry S. Truman.
On December 3, 1949, Sovereign Grand Commander Coles presided over a dedication ceremony of the North Room at the George Washington Memorial to which the Supreme Council had contributed $100,000. The Alexandria Valley relocated to the Memorial and held its first meeting there on December 9.
In 1950, when "Peanuts" first appeared in the comic section and the Korean War began, the Valley approved new bylaws. Dues were established at $8.
Another singular honor came to the Alexandria Scottish Rite in 1951 - the year the "I Love Lucy" and "Roy Rogers" shows debuted on television. At its 1951 biennial session, the Supreme Council conferred the status of Sovereign Grand Inspector General in Virginia on Ill. Robert S. Barrett, a member of our Alexandria Valley - who had joined in 1911 after demitting from the Scottish Rite in Mexico.
In 1961, at the request of the SGIG and the Supreme Council, the names of all fours bodies were changed to:
Alexandria Lodge of Perfection
Alexandria Chapter of Rose Croix
Alexandria Council Knights Kadosh
Alexandria Consistory
In May of 1964, the Will of Patrick Henry Bayliss, 32° designated a $21,000 Fund for the Trustees to administer to help the education of children at the Masonic Home. When there were no more children at the Home, a 1974 Court Order allowed the Trustees to fund scholarships as recommended by the Grand Lodge of Virginia. The continuing program has resulted in about 15 scholarships granted each year.1969 was definitely a banner year for mankind: Astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon, the Dow Jones Industrial Average hit $1,000, and the Boeing 747 made its maiden flight. But it also was an important year for the Valley as well. On June 24 the groundbreaking ceremony for our current temple was held. On September 27, the cornerstone was laid with Henry Knox Field Lodge being the sponsoring lodge and Ill. Charles E. "Ted" Webber, Sovereign Grand Inspector General in Virginia, serving as Worshipful Master Pro Tem. Once again the silver trowel used by George Washington was brought into service during this ceremony. Most Worshipful H. Bruce Green, a member of the Alexandria Valley, gave an inspiring address. Sovereign Grand Commander Luther A. Smith also addressed the assemblage.
A long desired event occurred in January 1971 when the first meeting in our own Temple took place before an overflowing crowd. The next event was the Spring Reunion called the "Dedication Class" which consisted of 265 members - the largest Class of all time.
In 1976 the Alexandria Valley established a "Charles and Polly Webber Scholarship Fund" at George Mason University in memory of our late SGIG. It provides for one Undergraduate and one Graduate scholarship in American History each year.
In 1979, the Valley's first Scottish Rite Club was founded in the Shenandoah Valley, with Bro. (later Ill.) Kenneth Lamp elected as its first President.
In 1985 Ill. C. Fred Kleinknecht was elected by the Supreme Council as Sovereign Grand Commander, and Ill. David Kruger was elected Sovereign Grand Inspector General in Virginia (the second Alexandria member to serve in that capacity).
During 1987 the Hall of Honor was designed and constructed in the main floor’s east corridor. This was made possible by the bequest of Brother Frederick A. Tutt, KCCH.
The first conferral of the 33° by an Alexandria team as part of the Biennial Session of the Supreme Council took place in October of 1987. This has been repeated at every Biennial Session (through 2011) except at the Session in 2001 at Charleston, SC.
The Valley's second Scottish Rite Club, the Blue Ridge Club, was chartered in 1990 in Culpeper. Brother (later Ill.) Steven M. Hicks was elected as its first President.
In the mid-1990's a gravity flow wastewater line was installed between the Temple and the King Street sewer system and our restroom facilities were updated and enlarged. We also installed a covered drive-through portico at the building's most used entrance. Both of these improvement projects were made possible by sizable bequests from the estates of Charles L. Eisenman, 33°, and Stanley G. Hargey, 32°.
In May of 1991, a statewide reunion was held in memory of our late SGIG "Ted" Webber. There were 771 candidates in that Class of which 131 were Alexandria’s.
In the Spring of 1995, the Valley and Kena Shrine held a joint reunion/ceremonial at the Scottish Rite Temple - the first of its kind. It was named in memory of Most Worshipful Werner H. Morlock, a former member of both organizations. One hundred candidates were in this Class.
And in 1999, the Valley was asked to participate in a Statewide Spring Reunion named in Memory of Valley member, Ill. Charles A. Sinclair, Jr his was the first conferral in the Southern Jurisdiction of the five obligatory degrees using the newly- revised Pike scripts. Alexandria conferred the 32° before an audience of 506 candidates and an august body of purple-capped dignitaries. At the end of the degree, the audience honored the cast with a standing ovation-the only one that day. Alexandria had 96 candidates in the Class.
In 2000, the Valley began a continuing program, known as the "Teacher of the Year" event, to annually recognize three outstanding teachers in the northern Virginia area. At a dinner program at the Temple, each teacher receives an Appreciation Certificate along with a $500 check. Their Principals and Superintendents are also invited.
Also in 2000, the Valley initiated an every-three-year entertainment program at the Little Theatre of Alexandria for a "Night Out" for members, families, and friends.
Another program begun in 2000 was the implementation of a Supreme Council initiative to recognize and award outstanding JROTC cadets in = then - 19 high schools and one college ROTC. Several additional high schools were included after 2000.
The year 2001 was the Bicentennial Anniversary of the founding of the Supreme Council at Charleston, SC in 1801. The Biennial Session was held there in October. KCCH and 33° selectees received their honors there. It was a very exciting occasion.
In March of 2001, a meeting of all four Alexandria Bodies was held at the Supreme Council Temple. This was a first time happening, and coincided with our 90th and the Supreme Council’s 200th anniversaries.
A month later, a plan that was presented at the meeting to allow members to buy Life Membership was adopted. Sixty-two had become Life Members by the end of the year.
On December 31, 2002, David Kruger, 33° concluded his service as SGIG after 17 years, and 2 years previously as Deputy of the Supreme Council in Virginia.
At the 2006 Spring Reunion, all 15 of the revised Pike degrees which Alexandria confers were performed for the first time.
At the January 2008 meeting, the Valley was especially honored to have the Grand Master of Masons in Virginia present - our own Edmund Cohen, 33°.
In 2008 a new Supreme Council self-education program, via correspondence course titled "Master Craftsman," was implemented in the Valley. At the end of the year, 13 had completed the course.
2009 was again the year for honors to be bestowed by the Supreme Council on deserving brethren. Within Virginia, it was Alexandria’s "turn" to conduct the statewide KCCH Investiture in Richmond. The 33° was again conferred at the Supreme Council by the other Alexandria degree team.
2010 was a year of planning for the Valley to celebrate in 2011 its 100th year since receiving the charters for all four Bodies granted by the Supreme Council in 1911.
At the start of 2011, it was noted that over the past 100 years only 11 men, including the present incumbent, had served as Secretary of the Valley.
