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Fort Bragg Lodge, U.D. met 31 times, then on 8 February 1931 at its 32nd communication its designation became Fort Bragg Lodge No. 667 AF & AM.
The Lodge met in various surplus army buildings on the reservation for 34 years. However, in the 1950's a Defense Department change in policy, pertaining to use of government buildings by civilian agencies, caused the Lodge members to begin giving serious consideration to the construction of a permanent Masonic temple off the reservation.
On 6 January 1959 the Lodge purchased a tract of land 150 Feet by 200 feet, off Yadkin Road near the southeastern edge of the military reservation. This tract of land was never developed, and subsequently the Lodge sold it on 5 August 1960.
The Lodge purchased another tract of land on 7 January 1963, when a member of Fort Bragg Lodge, C.C. Powers agreed to the sale of a plot of land in Spring Lake, North Carolina. The selling price of the plot of land was $7,500.00. Eighteen months later, the Lodge acquired a second piece of land from Powers. The two pieces of land adjoined. The Lodge paid $1,700 for this second plot of land. Irregularly shaped, the entire tract of land has a perimeter of 934 feet.
The Lodge began negotiations with the Cross Creek Building and Loan Association. A loan of $50,000.00 was made to the Lodge for a period of one hundred and twenty months. A short time later construction of the Fort Bragg Lodge Masonic Temple was begun.
October 29th, 1963 was a bright sunny day in Spring Lake, North Carolina. The weather was perfect for any outdoor activity. Approximately fifty people were present at the site of the future temple of the Fort Bragg Lodge, to witness the laying of the cornerstone.
Charles G. Harrill, Master of Fort Bragg Lodge, introduced Most Worshipful W. Edward Burner, Grand Master of Masons in North Carolina. The Grand Master announced that the Grand Lodge of North Carolina had convened for the purpose of laying the cornerstone of the temple of Fort Bragg Lodge No. 667 AF & AM. Burner and the other Grand Lodge officers then proceeded with the cornerstone ceremony.
On the 25th of March 1964 the Lodge received dispensation to meet in the new Masonic Temple. Accordingly, on 7 April 1964 the Lodge conducted its first meeting in the new Temple.
The Lodge continued to grow in membership and like most Lodges failed to realize that time and the economy were also moving on. A contract with the then Carolina Power And Light Corporation to lease the bottom floor of the Lodge building, came to an end in 1984 when CP&L built an office in downtown Fayetteville. This left the Lodge dependant on its only source of income interest from Certificates of Deposit and annual dues. The ravages of time were at work on our Temple building. Over the next Ten years the lodge depleted its CD's and realized that in order to survive dues would have to be raised. In 1994 Masonic dues were $25.00 and membership was on a decline. The lodge raised dues to $50.00, but the ravages of time were at work on the building. The roof was in need of replacement after tornado damage, the Heating and Air-conditioning units were failing on a regular basis. The lodge decide to sell the property but with the economy in the shape it was in no takers were around to help the lodge out of its failing structure. Again dues were raised to the now current $75.00. This raise in dues was just barely keeping the lodge afloat. In 2005 an earnest decision to sell the property and obtain a new lodge building was taken on by a steering committee. Finally after almost a year a buyer was found for the lodge and property. With the funds realized from the property sale, a new lodge site was found and permission from the Grand Lodge Services Committee has been asked so that the property can be purchased and a new lodge building built one that for the foreseeable future can be maintained by the current lodge income.
The Lodge prides its self in ritualistic work. There's virtually no contention among the brethren, and everywhere there is evidence of Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth. And the seven rounds of the Biblical ladder are very apparent, I.e.---Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, Justice, Faith, Hope, and Charity."
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