Pdeluca1251, Neighbor

William Parkman Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, had its beginning in January of 1864 when Abijah Thompson, III, owner of the tannery on what is now Manchester Field, invited Dr. William Ingalls, David Skilling’s, Josiah Stone, and Albion Joy to his home on Walnut Street to discuss the formation of a lodge in Winchester by those who were already a member of the Craft. in February. With great enthusiasm and the prior approval of Most Worshipful William Parkman, Esq., presiding Grand Master at the time, the Committee voted to procure rooms in the Lyceum Building on Mount Vernon Street and to negotiate a five-year lease.The lodge held its first formal meeting with a complete staff of officers in their Lyceum Hall apartments the next evening, May 10. Meetings were called under the temporary designation of "Parkman Lodge" by permission of Most Worshipful William Parkman.

Charter records bring to light many well-known Winchester names: founders of our town in business, political, social, and religious life. These names have been perpetuated by town landmarks such as Skilling’s Road, (David Skilling’s), Thompson Street (Abijah Thompson), and Prince Avenue (Frederick Prince who later moved to Boston and became Mayor of the city). The former Woodleigh School was named for Brother Edwin Woodleigh.

The lodge enjoyed prosperity until the Depression Years of the 1930s when many members unavoidably dropped their membership. No definite record was kept of Brethren who joined the Armed Forces in World War II but about ten percent of our members were active at one time or another. After the War, there was a lively increase in Masonic membership throughout the country and as well as at William Parkman Lodge. By 1975, the apartments of the lodge in the Hevey Building were in a sad state of disrepair. Previously developed plans to establish a free standing building within Winchester for the use of the lodge were defeated by escalating real estate prices and the lack of other tenants to share the costs of building and maintaining a structure solely dedicated to fraternal meetings. Fortunately, a large estate came on the market on the Winchester-Woburn border. The estate was purchased by the Mt. Horeb Masonic Lodge in Woburn, thereby affording an opportunity to consolidate the Winchester and Woburn lodges in one large comfortable suite of apartments. Under the direction of Wor. Paul Gleason who was Master at the time, William Parkman Lodge quickly took advantage of this opportunity and joined with their brothers of Mt. Horeb Lodge in 1976 to maintain and improve the apartments, which they presently share.

William Parkman Lodge actively maintains both its Masonic heritage as well as its civic standing.The Lodge participates in both Memorial Day and Veterans Day parades and continues as one of the original members of the Masonic Angel Fund for elementary and middle school Winchester children. (The Angel Fund provides immediate funds for school supplies, outer wear, shoes, and other small but important services to children who do not fit the criteria for the usual social service programs.) The lodge continues its charitable role within Winchester providing a Child Identification Program (MYCHIP) service during the annual Winchester Town Day celebration, sponsoring a Little League team each year and organizing two or more blood drives every year. The charitable programs of the lodge do not end there. On May 15, 2002, the Winchester High School graduating class of 2002 made medical history by being the first high school graduating class in the nation to participate in what is now a Meningococcal vaccine clinic available to all public and private school students. The lodge is also an active supporter of the Hospital Equipment Loan Program (HELP) which lends hospital equipment (wheelchairs, crutches, hospital beds, etc.) to those in need, regardless of Masonic affiliation, at no charge as long as it is needed.

William Parkman Lodge enjoys its 150th year since the granting of its charter as a vibrant member of the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Massachusetts. Its members greet the year as an opportunity to continue our tenants of Friendship, Morality, and Brotherly Love through service to our community and our Fraternity.