‘Researchers discover Acacia in Pennsylvania’

    

Most of the group at Civil War Lodge of Research 1865 yesterday at Acacia 586 in Pennsylvania.

Another great weekend with Civil War Lodge of Research is behind us. Time to look forward to the next one.

Worshipful Master Bill presents Bro. Creighton his Past Master apron. Our Chaplain this year, Creighton is Pastor at Danieltown Baptist Church in North Carolina. He served in the East last year.

We sojourned from our Virginia home to the Keystone State for a visit to Acacia Lodge 586 in Waynesboro for our meeting and additional stops in the area. It’s great to sit in lodge again with Bennett, almost fully recovered from a recent injury, and the brethren. An encouraging turn-out too, with twenty-two present, including a delegation from our host lodge (we don’t always see many from the lodges that welcome us into their temples).

The Worshipful Master in the East at Acacia 586.

We balloted and added another Virginia brother to our ranks too, as Bro. Donald of, I think, Mount Carmel 133 was elected to membership, so our roster numbers 331 members. (That’s a high number for a research lodge, but brethren from Virginia, across the country, and beyond join us.)

Next year’s meeting schedule is taking shape, so look for communications at MAHOVA for our installation in December; then travels to North Carolina in April; the District of Columbia next July; and Frederick, Maryland (or proximity) in October.

The Masonic Building is located
in a beautiful downtown.

Bro. Carl Lynch, Senior Warden of Acacia 586, was our speaker Saturday, presenting his “Thunder on the Mountain: South Mountain During the Civil War.” This is military history with only scant mentions of Freemasonry (a young William McKinley served in the September 1862 Battle of South Mountain, for example). Unfortunately, we were pressed for time, having lunch reservations at a local restaurant, so Bro. Carl had to abridge his talk, but managed to pack a lot of detail into our brains about that region’s great significance in the war.

The altar from the north side.

The Senior Warden’s station in the West.

The Master’s gavel’s sounding block
is a small ashlar.

I’ve always loved the English-style Past Master jewels made and worn in Pennsylvania. I tried to purchase one years ago, but neither of the manufacturers wanted to help me.

This portrait hangs in a place of honor.

Waynesboro itself factored into Gen. Robert E. Lee’s battle plans, as it was a locus of industry then. If you’ve ever heard the improbable story of the Confederate battle plan (Special Order 191) that was lost in transit from Lee to Gen. D.H. Hill—the papers wrapped around three cigars when found by Union soldiers—that was there at South Mountain. Another future U.S. president, a young Rutherford B. Hayes, also among Ohio’s troops, fought and was wounded at this battle. Confederate Lt. Col. George S. James died at South Mountain. He had commanded the mortar battery that initiated the attack on Fort Sumter the year before. He doesn’t get the blame for starting the Civil War, but he in fact fired the shot that was first to hit Fort Sumter. His story continues postmortem because his brother traveled to the battlefield in search of his remains to bring home for burial only to be killed in action himself before finding the unmarked grave a local resident promised to show him.

Lynch did a masterful job of presenting these stories, which is not surprising. He is a Frederick County Park Ranger with lots of experience in explaining to the uninformed these aspects of the war. Plus, he’s a hilarious raconteur!

And this history occurred nearly a year before the Battle of Monterey Pass, immediately after Gettysburg, which is what brought us to Waynesboro in the first place.

Carl spoke for about forty-five minutes; after he finished, we crossed town to eat at a casual lunch spot, which was surprisingly good. The bad news is this left little time for our intended visit to the Monterey Pass Battlefield Park & Museum. Civil War Lodge pointedly pairs our meetings with visits to relevant historic sites. There wasn’t a group visit planned this time, so we each were on our own. I could have done it, but would have needed to return to the hotel, change out of my suit & tie and into clothing appropriate for the heat and humidity, which would have made the park’s closing hour even nearer. Instead, I returned to the lodge’s neighborhood, where I’d noticed a few businesses worth visiting.

56 West Main Street in Waynesboro.

Christie’s House of Pipes & Cigars has been located across the street from Acacia since 1980, when founder Eric Christie opened his doors. It’s a small space; don’t expect a huge inventory. Still, I think having an old school tobacconist right outside the temple’s doors is a sign from Providence.

I visited for a few minutes and chatted with Eric. I possess an inventory of pipe mixtures that will outlast me, so I don’t need any more, but I purchased an ounce of what Christie’s names Vesta, an English that “has just the right amount of Virginia, Burley, Toasted Cavendish, Perique, Latakia and Turkish tobaccos,” says his website.

I don’t need more pipe tobacco,
but another ounce can’t hurt.

I will sample this tonight. (In the 1931 Bela Lugosi movie Dracula—but not the Stoker novel—the Vesta is the schooner that brings our favorite vampire to England.)

There are several antiques stores only steps away. To my mind, an antique is something that predates the Second World War, but evidently bric-a-brac from my childhood now occupy the cubic inches of these shops. ($40 for a vinyl Van Halen Diver Down. Cripes.) But there were older items, just don’t look for bargains. Still under the influence of Christie’s, I sought out whatever tobacciana might be about.

These places always have
a lot of Edgeworth tins.

Then I had to return to the hotel for a shower and fresh clothes. The hot wet July air was polluted by Canada’s latest wildfires, and I was wilting in my dark suit. We had dinner reservations at Cashtown Inn, located in Orrtanna, approximately twenty miles away.

 

A familiar statuette decorates
Cashtown Inn’s sitting room.

Cashtown Inn is located in Adams County.

Another pipe!

Most of us remained satiated from lunch, so we disappointed our waitress with modest orders of appetizers, soups, and salads. I tried to compensate by drinking more Yards Porter than I medicinally required. (Is there a more thoughtful man? I think not!) Still my bill totaled less than $30.

But let me recommend this establishment. In addition to the most charming restaurant, the rooms upstairs are for hire for your overnight stays. A place with its own amazing history.

Finally, bedways was right ways, so it was back to my own hotel for the night’s spatchka. Then it was homeward bound this morning.

Grand Lodge’s 250th anniversary pins
are available. (Not actual size.)

Civil War Lodge of Research 1865 will meet next on Saturday, October 10 at Fort Monroe in Virginia, but don’t forget the Grand Master’s Research Lodge Official Visit next month on Saturday the 29th at Haymarket Lodge 313, starting at one o’clock.