164 years of Freemasonry
 in Mount Lebanon Lodge, No. 226

In 1847 eight Members of the former Mt. Lebanon Lodge No. 172 Petitioned the Grand Lodge for a new Warrant. The Warrant of Mount Lebanon Lodge No. 226, Free and Accepted Masons, was issued by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania under the date of December 27, 1847, to Henry Dehuff, as Worshipful Master; George Lineaweaver, as Senior Warden, and Jacob Weidle, as Junior Warden, by Peter Fritz, Right Worshipful Grand Master of Pennsylvania.

The Lodge was Constituted on January 31, 1848, at three o'clock in the afternoon. Right Worshipful District Deputy Grand Master Benjamin Parke, installed Brothers Dehuff, Lineaweaver and Weidle in their respective offices.

The By-Laws of the Lodge were adopted May 1, 1848 and approved June 5, 1848. Among the provisions contained in the several articles constituting the original By-Laws are the following:
Dues of $4.00 annually shall be collected in open Lodge. They are payable 25 cents on each night of the Stated Meeting, 50 cents on each St. John's night in June and December.
Petitioners shall pay $100.00 for the first degree, $5.00 of which must accompany this petition; $5.00 for the second and $5.00 for the third, all of which must be paid to the secretary before receiving the degree.
 
Rules for visitors were put in. Each visiting brother shall be exempt from paying dues the first night but each succeeding night he shall pay the sum of 25 cents. No Brother residing in or near the borough of Lebanon shall be permitted to visit more than twice without becoming a Member unless by special dispensation; officers of the Grand Lodge, as such, shall always be exempted from the payment of dues.
 
Stated Meetings shall be held on the Wednesday preceding the full moon in each month except when the full moon falls on Wednesday, then on that day.
 
To these By-Laws, transcribed at the time of their adoption and contained in the original book, each of the 2536 members, initiated or admitted to membership in the Lodge, has subscribed in his own handwriting.
 
Meetings were held in what was then Reidners Building opposite the old courthouse at 8th and Cumberland Streets. In 1850, the new Lodge Hall called the United Hall was occupied. It was located at 31 North Ninth Street. The spot is now occupied by a gasoline service station at the alley. It is directly across from the Lutheran Church.
 
The Washington Monument in our Nation's Capitol contains a natural marble stone of Mt. Lebanon No. 226, Lebanon, Pa. The stone which is dated 1851, is on the eleventh level at 130 ft.
 
April 25, 1900, the Lodge Meetings were moved on the third floor of the building located on the Southeast Corner of Ninth and Willow Streets, known as the Shirk Building.
 
Mount Lebanon Lodge was represented in the parade and ceremonies incident to the dedication of the Masonic Temple on Broad Street, Philadelphia, on September 26, 1873, by a delegation of Members including Joseph L. Lemberger, acting Worshipful Master; Adolphus Reinoehl, acting Senior Warden; Simon G. Boltz, acting Junior Warden; Wash Granello, acting Treasurer; William G. Ward, Secretary and acting Marshal; W.E. Emery, Hanry Kendall, Peter Consedine, Joshua Krause, Samuel B. Trafford, Lee G. Bricker. Accompanying the delegation were J.P.S. Gobin and James Gosler as visitors.
 
The Masonic Temple Association of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, was formed January 10, 1921, with the several local Masonic Bodies, Mount Lebanon Lodge, No. 226, F. & A.M., Mount Olivet Lodge, No. 704, F. & A.M., Weidle Chapter, No. 197, Royal Arch Masons, Lebanon Council, No. 27, Royal and Select Masters and Hermit Commandery No. 24, Knights Templar, participating. These officers were elected: President David J. Leopold; Vice Presidents John F. Reed and Alfred K. Mills; Secretary William W. Walter; Treasurer H. Rank Bickel.

The association was incorporated March 2, 1925, and an option was taken by the directors of the association on the Knights of Malta building, 127 North Eighth Street Lebanon, Pa., for the sum of $115,000.00. The resolution authorizing the purchase of the building was adopted by Mt. Olivet Lodge, Weidle Royal Arch Chapter, Lebanon Council of Royal and Select Masons and Hermit Commandery by separate action but was rejected on May 21, 1925, by Mount Lebanon Lodge.

The option taken by the Lodge on the present Masonic Hall, 127 North Eighth Street, Lebanon, PA, on December 3, 1928, was exercised on January 31, 1929, and title was taken February 18, 1929. The purchase price was $25,000 subject to a mortgage of $50,000. The first Stated Meeting of the Lodge in the newly acquired hall was held on September 26, 1929.

In 2008 the building on North Eighth Street was sold in preparation for a new lodge building. The Masonic Temple Association of Lebanon purchased land on South Fourteenth Ave across from Avon Park for the development and construction of the new Lebanon Masonic Center where all of the Masonic Bodies of Lebanon can again meet in unanimity.

Mount Lebanon Lodge moved their meetings in September 2008 to the Brownstone Masonic Temple, 215 W. Governor Rd. in Hershey with the guidance of Worshipful Master, Kevin M. Organtini, Past Master. Mount Lebanon was the guest of Brownstone Lodge No. 666 with whom we had a very enjoyable working relationship.

In September of 2010 the Masonic Temple Association of Lebanon received permission from Thomas K. Sturgeon, Right Worshipful Grand Master of Pennsylvania, to proceed with construction of the new Masonic Temple. By mid November of 2010 all of the permits had been paid for and construction was ready to begin.

On Saturday, December 11, 2010, at 10:00 am, the official ground breaking for the new Masonic Temple took place with our Worshipful Master Paul Weiksner placing his shovel in the dirt along with...
Frank August - WM, Mt. Olivet Lodge No. 704
Les Keller - President, Masonic Temple Association of Lebanon
Scott Koons - Vice President; Masonic Temple Association of Lebanon
Ned Bomgardner - Treasurer, Masonic Temple Association of Lebanon
William Arnold - PDDGM & Secretary, Masonic Temple Association of Lebanon
Noble Johnson - District Deputy Grand Master, 60th Masonic District
Kevin Organtini - Thrice Illustrious Master, Lebanon Council No. 27
Walt Foltz - Most Excellent High Priest, Weidle Royal Arch Chapter No. 197
David Gontz - Eminent Commander, Hermit Commandary No. 24
Betty Arnold - WM, OES Chapter No. 115
William Smeltzer - General Contractor of the project
Robert P Hoffman - Architect

In February of 2012 members of Mount Lebanon and Mount Olivett Lodges came together to move all the items from the storage trailers, and other sites, into the Masonic Temple building at our new address of 499 S 14th Ave, Lebanon.

On Thursday, March 15, 2012, Mount Lebanon Lodge No. 226 held the it's first stated meeting in the new building led by Worshipful Master Travis C. Hossler.

On Saturday, May 5, 2012, a beautiful sunny day in Lebanon, the cornerstone laying, followed by the dedication of the lodge room, took place at 10:00 am led by Right Worshipful Grand Master Jay W. Smith. Accompanying the Right Worshipful Grand Master were R.W. Deputy Grand Master Robert J. Bateman; District Deputy Grand Master Noble P. Johnson, 60th Masonic District; R.W. Junior Grand Warden S. Eugene Herritt (sitting as acting Senior Grand Warden); William S. Arnold, Sr., P.D.D.G.M. (sitting as acting Junior Grand Warden); R.W. Grand Treasurer Jeffrey W. Coy; Aide to the Grand Master Thomas A Gamon, IV, P.D.D.G.M. (sitting as acting Grand Secretary); Grand Sword Bearer Steven J. Smith; Assistant Grand Marshal Russell W. Baker, P.D.D.G.M. During the dedication R.W.Grand Master Jay W. Smith presented the Grand Master's Medallion to Worshipful Master Travis C. Hossler, Mount Lebanon Lodge 226, and Worshipful Master John H. Doebling, Jr., P.M., Mount Olivett Lodge 704.

Mount Lebanon Lodge No. 226 had the following officers for the cornerstone laying and lodge room dedication...
Worshipful Master Travis C. Hossler
Senior Warden John D. Lerch, Jr.
Junion Warden Jamie F. Kopinetz, P.M.
Treasurer J. Richard Morrett
Secretary Richard R. Royer, P.M.
Senior Deacon Galen D. Kleinfelter
Junior Deacon Mark G. Mattern, P.M.
Seinor Master of Ceremonies Larry Q. Hall, P.M.
Junior Master of Ceremonies Abram M. Shaffner
Pursuivant H. Leroy Schrum
Steward Gerald B. Stephens