1871-1874
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Historic Masonic Site
Yellowstone Lodge #88
1871-1874
1st Masonic Lodge in North Dakota
at Fort Buford, Dakota Territory
Some history of Yellowstone Lodge #88
Co-Chairmen in a cover-up??
Hmmm...will Rick be accused of a 'cover up?"
The surveyors marked the correct spot.
This is how the pole location was set...where the hat landed.
Co-Chairmen in depth control! OR
A minor disagreement between the co chairmen! Or just Rick practicing!
Up up and in.
Raising the Flag Pole at Buford
Wow looks good.
The Flag pole upright
But is it straight. Alvin say's perfect.
(PGM Alvin proving our work!)
Sign going into historic site.
Elmer and Dale trying to find Masonic stone at Fort Buford.
Adam and Bruce show Dale and Elmer the stone. Dale was speechless.
Adam Fedler, Bruce Krabseth, Dale Weathersby and Elmer Diedtrich.
Putting up the sign. (What a team effort)
Jim checking if it is level. Everyone else holding up shovels.
Elmer Diedtrich, Jim Krohn, Adam Fedler and Dale Weathersby.
Shiloh Lodge, Yellowstone Lodge, & Bismarck Lodge of Dakota Territory
Taken from Masonic Matters – a Masonic Education newsletter Written and published by Ed Halpaus, P.M.
The Grand Lodge of Minnesota each year publishes its proceedings of the Grand Lodge Communication, and every year there is included some other information about our Grand Lodge that is, (in my opinion at least,) very handy to have available. For instance, in Appendix E of the proceedings for 2001, (this information is in other issues too,) there is a list of "Lodges Lost Or Changed, With Cause." That list shows the Lodge number, name, town, county, charter date, and the cause for the loss or change, and if a person were to look over that list carefully he would see in the column for the county something other than a county name. Such as; Manitoba, for Northern Lights Lodge #68; Dakota Territory for Yellowstone Lodge #88 at Fort Buford, Shiloh Lodge #105 at Fargo, and Bismarck Lodge #120, Bismarck, those three Lodges being in Dakota Territory at the time, and now all three would be in the boundaries of North Dakota. I also found information on Yellowstone, Shiloh, and Bismarck, in "Masonry in North Dakota," by Brother Harold S. Pond, PGM of the GL of North Dakota.
At the 19th Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Minnesota, which was on January 9, 1872 Grand Master Charles W. Nash reported: "During the year I have granted a dispensation for a new lodge to Asa P. Blunt, as Worshipful Master, and the requisite number of Brethren, to form a Lodge at Fort Buford, Dakota Territory, to be named Yellowstone Lodge U.D." At the same annual communication the "Committee On The Work Of Lodges U.D." reported: "We have examined the records, papers, and returns of Lodges U.D., who have testimony in relation to the work done, etc., and would respectfully recommend that a charter be granted to the following Lodges herein named, to-wit: Yellowstone Lodge #88, Fort Buford, Dakota Territory."
The Charter was granted on January 10, 1872. There were 29 Masons on the membership roll, at the end of the year the membership grew to 35, and by the end of 1873 it grew to 48. However, in 1874 the main garrison of Fort Buford was moved, and it included the three principal officers of the Lodge, and most of its members, so it was necessary for the Lodge to close. On January 12, 1875 M.W. Brother Charles Griswold, Grand Master of the GL of Minnesota announced that the Lodge had closed, and that he had directed R.W. Brother Benjamin L. Perry District Deputy for the 11th District to visit them, convene their Lodge and take such action as the circumstance seemed to warrant. Brother Perry did as ordered and came to the conclusion that the interests of Masonry did not demand the continuance of a Lodge at that point. This Lodge was not a Military Lodge, it might have been better for the members of it if it had been but, since it wasn’t when the officers and members got transferred there were not enough Masons left it keep it going. By the way the DDGM – R.W. Brother Benjamin Perry was from Brainerd MN, in 1872 it was quite a trip to go from Brainerd to Fort Buford, but I’ll bring him up again later. Also as a point of interest Fort Buford was the place Sitting Bull and several hundred of his starving followers were brought in 1881, they surrendered in front of the officers headquarters building. The surrender brought an end to the Indian wars in the Northwest.
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Email Bruce Krabseth at bkrab@nccray.com if you have a question.
