OUR HISTORY IN SARASOTA
T.J. DANCEY'S HARDWARE STORE
Meeting Place 1904-1905
The two-story building in the middle of picture is T.J. Dancey's Hardware Store. It was located just East of Five Points on the North side of Main Street.
THE SARASOTA GOLF CLUBHOUSE
Meeting Place 1905-1910
This building was located near the intersection of Links Ave. and Ringling Blvd. It was built by J. Hamilton Gillespie, a charter member of the Lodge and the builder of the first golf course in Florida. He was also the first Mayor of the town of Sarasota.
THE BLACKBURN BUILDING
Meeting Place 1910-1925
The building, owned by Earl Blackburn a member of the Lodge No. 147, was located at the Northeast corner of Main Street and Palm Ave. The third floor was built exclusively for the Lodge and the Woodman of the World to use for their meetings. It was the first three story concrete building in Sarasota.
THE CRISP BUILDING
Meeting Place 1925-1936
Located at 1970 Main Street it is now the home of the Mediterraneo Restaurant.
THE RINGLING BANK BUILDING
Meeting Place 1936-1949
Located at 1927 Ringling Blvd.
ORIGINAL MAIN ST. BUILDING DESIGN
Design Changed Before Building
This was the original design of the current building located at 2160 Main Street. It was designed to be a two-story building but it was changed to a single story building when money was not available for a second floor.
2160 MAIN STREET BUILDING
Meeting Place 1949-Present
The current building of Sarasota Lodge No. 147 as it stands today at 2160 Main Street.
GENERAL HISTORY OF OUR LODGE
Sarasota Lodge #147 was granted dispensation by the Grand Lodge of Florida on August 13, 1904 with the first communications held in the Lodge Room over T. J. Dancey's store on the evening of August 23, 1904. E. R. Marsh presided as the Worshipful Master. The charter was granted by the Grand Lodge of Florida on the 19th of January, 1905 by Grand Master Charles W. Johnson, with E. R. Marsh as Worshipful Master. In the 1920's an attempt was made to purchase property for a Lodge building. They purchased the land that presently is the home of the Pan American Bank, but the boom bust caused the Lodge to lose the property. No attempts from then until 1940 were made. Then, on June 18, 1940, a committee was appointed to secure plans for a Temple and for the following 8 years, many long hours of work went into the building of the Lodge today.