1908
The Washington, Baltimore and Annapolis Electric Railway opened, providing easy access for commuters into Washington, D.C. Encouraged by the development in Fairmount Heights, African Americans soon settled in the area, attracted by the affordable lots which made home ownership attainable for many Black residents. In addition to the Pittman’s, James F. Armstrong (Supervisor of Colored Schools in Prince George’s County), Henry Pinckney (White House Steward to President Theodore Roosevelt, and Past Master of #92), and Doswell Brooks (successor to Armstrong as Supervisor of Colored Schools in Prince George’s County and the first African American appointed to the County’s Board of Education) each built homes in the neighborhood. Fairmount Heights was also home to a growing professional and industrious working-class community and many residents worked as clerks or messengers for the federal government, then viewed as highly successful and respected positions. Fairmount Heights was becoming a vibrant hub of transformative community building.
1926
A collective spirit of brotherhood took root within the growing community, and several of its esteemed citizens, driven by a desire for fellowship and service, conceived the idea of establishing a Free and Accepted Masons lodge. Led by dedicated men like Brothers Andrew Knox, H.I. Brooks, Phillip T. Johnson, Ulysses MaKall, and Pedro J. Atwood, they petitioned then Most Worshipful Grand Master of Maryland, Willard W. Allen, seeking a dispensation to form what would become Fairmount Lodge No. 92. The Petition was Granted. The names of the Charter Members are as follows: Andrew Knox, Pedro J. Atwood, P.F. Brooks, John Richardson, George Henderson, W.A. Jones, Ulysses MaKall (Former Mayor of Fairmount Heights 1937-1941), George A. Patterson (Former Mayor of Fairmount Heights 1941-1943), John H. Wood, H.I. Brooks, Joseph Brooks, James A. Campbell (Former Mayor of Fairmount Heights, 1943-1955), Sherman Gardener, Phillip T. Johnson, Horace Johnson, Alfred D. McMillian, Winter Marv and Joseph Jones. Meetings were held at the original Town Hall which was located at 717 60th Place.
1927
In the summer, the Charter was Received, and Andrew Knox was elected its first Worshipful Master, guiding the fledging lodge through its first initial steps. Shortly thereafter the lodge purchased a parcel of land within the Township of Fairmount Heights located at 60th Place and Addison Chapel Road. It would become the first Prince Hall Affiliated Masonic lodge in Prince Georges County.
1929
Columbine Chapter No. 46, Order of the Eastern Star, Chartered on August 3, 1929. From the very beginning, organizers from both groups worked closely together to build the Masonic institution in this part of the Jurisdiction. In many cases, they were husbands and wives of each other. As was the case with Anna L. Knox, the first Worthy Matron of Columbine Chapter No. 46, and our first Worshipful Master Andrew Knox. This spirit of partnership extended beyond their individual roles and respective administrations, as members of both organizations continue to routinely support each other’s initiatives and events. Throughout the decades, Fairmount Lodge No. 92 and Columbine Chapter No. 46, have remained steadfast allies, strengthening the fabric of Freemasonry within the community. This mutual respect and support has been key to their success.
1940
Erection of the Temple 5501 Addison Road.
1998-1999
Under the leadership of Worshipful Master Roland White, membership grew, and the first steps were taken towards liquidating the $40,000 mortgage incurred during construction. Subsequent Worshipful Masters including James C. Walker, Charles Thompson, James Taylor, and Harry Ross continued to build upon this foundation. Through their collective efforts, the members of Fairmount Lodge eventually became free from all liens and encumbrances in the Masonic Year of 1998-1999, under the leadership of Worshipful Master Ernest L. Gooding. It has stood as a monument to perseverance during challenging times, continually evolving, undergoing significant renovations and modernizations and remains a prominent fixture on Addison Road.
2007
Sesquicentennial — 150 years. Lodge hall extensively renovated. Digital archive of lodge records begun.
Today
Today, the Fairmount Masonic Temple is a central point for Prince Hall Masonry in the Southern Region. Reflecting on its innovative spirit, nurtured during its earliest days when meetings were held at the original Town Hall, Fairmount Lodge has long spread the cement of brotherly love and affection within the masonic family. This commitment extended beyond fellowship, providing crucial space within its walls for a new and motivated study group that would eventually blossom into Roscoe C. Cartwright Lodge No. 129, to whom Fairmount Lodge generously donated their first set of jewels. The Temple is now home to numerous Masonic Lodges and Order of the Eastern Star Chapters, alongside various concordant and appendant bodies. Building on the legacy of its pioneering founders, Fairmount Lodge No. 92, in step with the broader Masonic network it cultivates, continues to strive toward transformative acts of service, affecting the surrounding community and humanity at large.