A BRIEF HISTORY OF NORWICH LODGE NO. 302 F. & A.M.

Chenango Lodge No. 115 (now extinct) was the first Masonic Lodge within the present limits of the City of Norwich and the second in Chenango County. At the session of the Grand Lodge held March 7, 1804, a petition dated September 1, 1803 was presented. The petition was signed by sixteen Master Masons residing in the vicinity of the present Town and City of Norwich. The petition was recommended by Phoebus Lodge No. 94 (now No. 82) of New Berlin, the pioneer lodge of Chenango County. On November 2, 1804, a Charter was granted. This lodge was disbanded and its Charter surrendered prior to 1822 for reasons unknown.

Norwich Lodge No. 360 (now extinct) was the second lodge formed in Norwich. Its petition was dated March 1, 1822; it is quite probably that most, if not all, of its petitioners were members of the old Chenango Lodge No. 115. It appears that Norwich Lodge No. 360, after an existence of less than six years laid down its working tools on March 12, 1827 and finally surrendered its Charter to a Grand Visitor in 1831. The reason for this action was undoubtedly due to the Morgan Affair.

From 1827 to 1853 there was no Masonic Lodge in Norwich. On January 26, 1853, a petition for a Norwich Lodge was recommended by Chenango Valley Lodge of Oxford (now extinct). On March 19, 1853, the Grand Master issued a Dispensation, and on June 11, 1853, the Grand Lodge issued a Charter to Norwich Lodge No. 302. W.•. Obediah G. Rundell was the first Master. He served in this capacity from 1853 to 1857.

Membership in Norwich Lodge No. 302, numbering in the 300's in the 1960s had dwindled to 75 in l998. The lodge tried to merge unsuccessfully with Oxford Lodge No. 175 and Sherburne Lodge No. 444 in 1996-1997. The sale of the Masonic Building by Norwich Commandery in the early 1990s forced Norwich Lodge No. 302 to move its meetings to the Oxford Masonic Building in Oxford, N.Y. No doubt the lack of Masonic presence within the City of Norwich, has made the recruitment of new brothers difficult.

Prior to the sale of the Masonic Building in Norwich, Norwich Lodge No. 302 purchased a 3.8 acre lot just south of State Route 12 should the need to build a new facility ever become a reality. Though dwindling in numbers, the Lodge has remained strong financially as the result of bequests from members, the most recent being a 1998 bequest of $22,500 from the estate of Brother Morris Griffith.

During the past 20 years Norwich Lodge No. 302 has been a strong supporter of the youth of Norwich. Among its youth activities have been the sponsoring of trophies for the outstanding boys and girls swimmers at Norwich High School in memory of W.•. Bro.•. James P. Hoetis. Also, during this period the lodge sponsored, each year, a girl’s gymnastic meet at Norwich High School.

The Grand Master approved the consolidation of Norwich Lodge No. 302 into Oxford Lodge No. 175 in May 2005.