A Legacy of Service: Holly Springs Masonic Lodge 115

A Brief History of Freemasonry in Holly Springs, NC 

Freemasonry is the oldest and largest fraternity in the world. Originating as administrative and functional centers for medieval stonemasons, modern Masonic lodges no longer build castles, cathedrals, and monuments. As technology progressed and the guild system faded away, the stonemason guilds adapted and transformed themselves into social centers whose goal was to utilize their ancient symbols and tools not to build buildings but as teaching aides to build better men.  

The fraternity spread rapidly in the 18th century as a place where free-thinking men could interact and improve themselves, in a setting where political and religious debates were banned. Particularly popular in the North American colonies, Masonic lodges sprang up in many small towns. Following the events of the American Revolution, these lodges, which were largely chartered under the Grand Lodge of England (founded in 1717), were reorganized under their respective state Grand Lodges. The Grand Lodge of North Carolina was established in December 1787.  

One of the earliest lodges formed under the new Grand Lodge of North Carolina was Western Sun Lodge Number 72, which held meetings in a lodge in New Hill near what is today the intersection of New Hill Olive Chapel Rd and Old US Highway 1, about 10 miles northwest of Holly Springs. That lodge existed from 1818 to 1828 and may have shuttered due to lack of membership or the unpopularity of Masonry in the late 1820s.  

Despite this setback, several of the members of Western Sun Lodge were able to reorganize in what is today the Town of Holly Springs, where a new charter was granted on December 10, 1847, for Holly Springs Number 115. The first Master of the lodge was Alsey Hunter, and he led the lodge during the early days of building construction and meetings, which were held in the home of Richard Jones from 1847 to 1848.  

The first Master Mason raised in Holly Springs was Joshua Rogers, who had been originally initiated as an Entered Apprentice at Western Sun Lodge. We know this because Holly Springs 115 became the caretaker of the records of Western Sun Number 72 and remains so to this day.  

The lodge building that sits at 224 Raleigh Street today was completed in 1852, followed by the addition of two chimneys and the final cornerstone, which was laid on November 10, 1853. This cornerstone was removed in 1947 on the 100th anniversary of the lodge, at which time its contents, being exposed to the air, turned to dust. In 1947, the brothers reset the cornerstone that is visible today, incorporating a copy of the lodge history, some coins, and mementos of the craft, all sealed in a copper box.  

One of the lodge's first projects was to contribute to the Washington Monument project underway in Washington, D.C., at the time. The Washington Monument began construction in 1848, and the lodge sent in a donation in 1851. In return for their contribution, the brothers received an artist rendering, which looks much different from the version we know today (completed in the 1880s). That rendering, signed by the designer and several dignitaries in Washington at the time, can still be viewed in the lodge room above the Senior Warden’s chair in the west.  

The largest project for these early Masons was to provide an area for local children to learn. In 1854, they formed a Board of Trustees and separate organization led by the brothers called the Holly Springs Academy. When it first started, the academy was all male, but the male population was depleted as a result of the American Civil War from 1861-1865. The all-girls Academy was started in 1856, and an adjoining room was added to the north side of the lodge to accommodate the school children. 

At least eight brothers are known to have fought in the American Civil War, including George B. Alford, the great-grandson of a North Carolina Revolutionary War hero and the first Mayor of Holly Springs. Another was Simpson Holland, who was pressed into service for the Confederate Navy due to his skill as a blacksmith. Prior to the war, however, Brother Holland carved the wooden G that hangs suspended in the lodge room.  

James T. Adams ended the war as a Lieutenant Colonel in the famous 26th NC Regiment. That unit had the tragic distinction of having the most losses of any unit at the Battle of Gettysburg in Pennsylvania. Wounded four times throughout the war, Brother Adams returned home to Holly Springs after surrendering the unit at Appomattox, Virginia. Adams was the Holly Springs Lodge’s longest serving Master, having held that position a record-breaking 12 times. Holly Springs 115 members have fought for and served their country during every period since. Veterans are important to the lodge and are recognized at the start of every meeting.  

Following the incorporation of the Town in the 1870s, many lodge members also served the Town over its 150-year history. While some records are incomplete, an analysis shows that at least four mayors, thirteen councilmen, two clerks, two postmasters, and one Town marshal.  

By 1908, the Academy was being phased out, and the Grand Lodge held a special session at Holly Springs 115 for the purpose of laying the cornerstone of the new Holly Springs High School, which was later closed in 1958 due to consolidation (demolished in 1974). The original cornerstone, likely the only remaining remnant of the original Holly Springs High School, is on display in the lodge room today. The Grand Lodge met two more times in Holly Springs: first, to lay the cornerstone of the Holly Springs United Methodist Church in 1917, and again in 1923 for the cornerstone laying of the Baptist Church (now Lake Springs Church). The lodge and its members have witnessed many changes over the years. The Roaring Twenties saw the first electric lighting installed in 1922.

And in 1934, Brother T.A. Council celebrated his 100th birthday by taking his first airplane ride. For the first 100 years, all of the minutes were handwritten. The first typewriter was used for minutes in 1954, and the first computer was brought into the lodge in 1994. Finally, in 2025, the internet made its way into the lodge with the first WiFi network being established in October.  

Over the years, the lower room of the lodge has served in many capacities. It was used as a meeting place by the Women’s Society of the Methodist Church, the Baptist Missionary Society, and the Home Demonstration Club. It even served as the Community Center for the Town of Holly Springs. Wake County used the downstairs to administer polio vaccines in 1956, and in the 1970s, both the Jaycees and the Lions Club used the same room. The room has been used by both Girl Scouts USA and Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts of America), and for countless private events. It even served as a karate studio! Today, the room is rented for private events – the proceeds from which help maintain the historic building.  

Due to its age, the lodge requires an immense amount of upkeep. In the 1980s, carpeting was added in the upstairs vestibule area. Thanks to the generous support of brothers from Cary Lodge 198, a steel support beam was added to support the second floor. Prior to that, a large jack was used to support the second floor during large gatherings. In the early 2000s, renovations to the downstairs included adding drywall and modernizing the kitchen and bathroom spaces. A shed was added next, along the northwest side of the property, and lodge windows were replaced. In the early 2020s, the roof was replaced and the foundation repaired. The lodge room now features seating from the former Balfour Lodge 188 in Asheboro, which closed in 2021. The room also showcases stunning copper artwork of the sun and moon, crafted by a member of the Asheboro lodge. 

In April 2010, the lodge building was added to the National Register of Historic Places by the United States Department of the Interior. At a special ceremony, a plaque was placed on the building, and a historic marker was installed along Raleigh Street. The markers are testaments to the dedication the lodge has had to the community and its longevity as a brotherhood. Except for a brief period during the COVID pandemic (when the lodge was either not allowed to meet or met at Fuquay Lodge 258) and the 1947 west side chimney collapse (when the lodge met at Apex 584), the lodge has met continuously for nearly 180 years.  

In addition to Holly Springs 115, the lodge building is also home to the Knights of Solomon Number 768. Chartered in 2014, The Knights of Solomon is a motorcycle interest lodge that meets quarterly and whose charter is displayed in the lodge room.  

Over the years, six brothers have had the distinction of serving as District Deputy Grand Masters, appointed by the Grand Master to represent him in what is today the 15th Masonic District. Those members include Ivan Mims, David Moore, Bobby Hall, Todd Dyches, Eric Greene, and Bobby Price.  

The longest serving officer of any brother was Jack Stephens, who served 35 years as Secretary from 1959 to 1994. Other Secretaries of Distinction (serving 5 or more years) include Ken Webster, Sam Prestipino, Stephen Curry, and Dennis Smith. In 2026, an 85th Master of the Lodge will be installed.  

Even more impressive than these distinguished brothers is the lodge’s collective contribution to charities. One of the ways in which the lodge works to “make good men better” is through charitable works. These events have included fish fries, chicken BBQs, raffles, and golf tournaments. Beneficiaries include local charities, such as the Holly Springs Food Cupboard, and statewide charities, including the Masonic and Eastern Star Home in Greensboro, NC, and the Masonic Home for Children in Oxford, NC. In the 2010s, the lodge started a Brunswick Stew fundraiser utilizing an old recipe that requires cooking the stew for hours in a large cauldron over an open fire. This tradition continues today, and the stew is proudly served each December following the Town’s Happy Holly Days Parade. All proceeds go to lodge charities.  

In 2026, the Holly Springs lodge will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the incorporation of the Town of Holly Springs, the 250th birthday of the United States, and its 179th year as a lodge. If you are interested in renting the downstairs room for your next event or you would like to learn more about lodge history or Freemasonry itself, lodge doors are always open to those who ask.