Birdston Valley Lodge #266

Birdston Valley Lodge #266
Researched by Verna Bonner,
Originally published in "The Navarro County Scroll", Vol. XXI 1988
Reprinted with permission of the Navarro County Historical Society

Birdston Valley Masonic Lodge #266 was organized on August 22, 1907. According to discussions with the older member Masons, Isom Collins, Anderson Eakles, L. C. Cooper and Frank Ewing were the leading forces in organizing this group.

Isom Collins was perhaps the greatest of these. As a matter of fact, the first lodge was housed in Isom's gin since it was the only two story structure in the Valley. Shortly after organization was accomplished, a two story structure was constructed of board and batten. It had a shotgun floor plan. The lower floor was used as a meeting area for the ladies' lodge, Order of the Eastern Star, and as a school for the children of the community.

The upper floor served as a sanctum sanctorum. This old meeting hall was burned by vandals in 1982. It has been recently rebuilt into a one-room, single story structure.

This organization still meets, but on an infrequent basis. The membership is presently at 40 and the current officers are: E. J. Davis, W. M.; Pete Packer, Sec.; Osby Perkins, Treas.