All posts by Billy Hamilton

March 2024 Stated Meeting and Installation

**Please mark your calendars for March 30, 2024**

Please join us for the March stated meeting of Texas Lodge of Research. As per our regular tradition, the March meeting will also be our lodge elections and installation of officers.

Our host lodge will be Lufkin Lodge No. 669, located at 508 N. John Redditt Drive, Lufkin, TX 75904. The meeting will be on Saturday, March 30 at 10:00 am. A donation of $15.00 for lunch is requested.

Friday no-host dinner will be held at Ralph & Kacoo’s at 3107 S. 1st Street, Lufkin, TX 75901. Further details will be provided as they become available.

We have been unable to secure a host hotel due to the Easter weekend, however there are several hotels available nearby. They are: Holiday Inn Express and Suites: 936-699-3000; Hampton Inn and Suites: 936-699-2500; Courtyard by Marriott: 936-632-0777; Best Western Plus Crown Colony Inn and Suites; 936-634-3481.

We look forward to seeing you in Lufkin!

Future Meetings of TLR

June 15, 2024 – Stated meeting and Anson Jones lecture. More details to follow.

DECEMBER 2023 STATED MEETING

Please join us for the December stated meeting of Texas Lodge of Research. It will be our academic regalia meeting for the year. We want to celebrate all levels of academic achievement, and all members and guests are encouraged (but not required) to wear their academic robes.

Our host lodge will be Harmony Lodge No. 6, and will take place in the Egyptian Room at the Galveston Scottish Rite Cathedral, 2128 Church St, Galveston, TX 77550. The meeting will be on Saturday, December 16 at 2:00 pm, following a 1:00 pm lunch provided by the lodge. A donation of $15.00 for lunch is requested, and an additional donation for breakfast would be appreciated.

Moody Gardens Hotel, Spa & Convention Center is our host hotel, located at 7 Hope Blvd, Galveston, TX 77554. The hotel has offered Single King and Double Queen Rooms at $179 USD per night, with a block of rooms reserved for us. There will be an hospitality suite Friday night at the hotel.

Please click here to reserve your room.

Please note that self-parking is included in this rate. For any questions, please contact the hotel at (409) 741-8484.

The Friday evening “no-host dinner” will be in the private dining room of Shrimp N Stuff, located at 2506 Avenue H, Galveston, TX 77550. Our reservation is at 6:00 pm. The restaurant is owned by the Worshipful Master of Harmony Lodge, and they have graciously agreed to split the check for each guest.

We are also working with the Galveston Historical Foundation to arrange a private tour of one of the historic homes in Galveston at 10:00 am on Saturday before the meeting. More details will be posted when available.

We look forward to seeing you in Galveston!

Future Meetings of TLR

March 16, 2023 – hosted by Lufkin Lodge No. 669, located at 508 N. John Redditt Dr, Lufkin, TX 75904. More details to follow.

September 2023 Stated Meeting

Please join us for our September stated meeting. Our host will be Fredericksburg Lodge No. 794, located at 809 S. Adams, Fredericksburg, TX 78624. This will be an afternoon gathering.  The business meeting is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. with any approved papers to follow.  

Please note: All paper presentations are given during an open portion of the regular lodge meeting. Spouses, kids, EAs, and FCs are welcome to join us for lunch and presentations.

There will be no host hotel for this meeting, as it was impossible to negotiate a room block in Fredericksburg within our customary price range.  There will also be no no-host dinner on Friday evening, but we have arranged for a special event on Friday afternoon (details below).

We look forward to seeing you in Fredericksburg!

Agenda

Friday, September 15

3:00 p.m.: Private wine tasting at Becker Vineyards, courtesy of Brother James Peterson and his wife. This event is limited to 25 and will include a vineyard and winery tour, wine tasting, and charcuterie board. This event will be in lieu of our usual no-host dinner. 464 Becker Farms Road, Fredericksburg, TX 78624. Please book your reservations by Friday, September 8.

Click here to reserve your spot!

Saturday, September 16

10:00 a.m.: Group tour of the National Museum of the Pacific War and Nimitz Gallery. If attending, please visit the link below and click on the “Buy Tickets” box on the top-right of the page. Price is $24 per person (discount available for teachers and veterans). 311 E Austin St, Fredericksburg, TX 78624.

Click here to book your museum ticket!

1:00 p.m.: Lunch at Fredericksburg Lodge No. 794. Suggested donation of $15 per person. 809 S. Adams, Fredericksburg, TX 78624.

2:00 p.m.: Stated meeting at Fredericksburg Lodge No. 794. 809 S. Adams, Fredericksburg, TX 78624.

Future meetings of Texas Lodge of Research

December 16, 2:00 pm – Harmony Lodge No. 6, 2128 Church St, Galveston, TX 77550. We have negotiated a special room rate with Moody Gardens for the hotel, and there will be a hospitality room Friday night after the no-host dinner. More details to follow.

March 16, 2024 – Lufkin Lodge No. 669, 508 N. John Redditt Drive, Lufkin, TX 75904. More details to follow.

June Stated Meeting & Anson Jones Lecture

Please join us for our June stated meeting and 2023 Anson Jones Banquet and Lecture.

Our host will be Fort Worth Lodge No. 148, and the business meeting will be held at 2:00 pm in the Fort Worth Masonic Temple, located at 1100 Henderson Street, Fort Worth. The lodge room is located on the 3rd floor, room 420.

Our Anson Jones Lecture will be given during an evening banquet on the 4th floor. $55 per person, black tie formal attire.

Our 2023 Anson Jones Lecturer is Dr. Ric Berman, Past Master of Quotuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, UGLE and Prestonian Lecturer. His books include Loyalists & Malcontents, From Roanoke to Raleigh, and The Grand Lodge of England & Colonial America – America’s Grand Masters, The Foundations of Modern Freemasonry, Schism, and Espionage, Diplomacy & the Lodge.

Dr. Berman holds a Masters in Economics from the University of Cambridge and a Doctorate in History from the University of Exeter. His post-doctoral research was at the University of Oxford’s Modern European History Research Centre.

Please note: The dinner and lecture is an open meeting. Spouses, EAs, and FCs are invited to join us for our evening event, as well as during any paper presentations given during the regular lodge meeting.

Book your dinner reservation here!

We have negotiated a rate of $179/night plus tax at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites directly across the street from the Fort Worth Masonic Temple. Breakfast is included, and free parking is available at the Masonic Temple. Please select June 16 and/or 17 to see the preferred rate in the booking portal.

Book your hotel room here!

The Friday night no-host dinner will be held at 6;30 pm at Sammie’s Bar-B-Q, located at 3801 E Belknap St, Fort Worth, TX 76111.

There will be a hospitality room on Friday night at the host hotel on the ground floor.

Agenda
2:00 pm – Texas Lodge of Research business meeting and paper presentations – 3rd floor rm #420
5:45 pm – Banquet check-in table opens – 4th floor
6:00 pm – Social hour – 4th floor
7:00 pm – Dinner and Anson Jones lecture – 4th floor commandery asylum

Menu**
Fruit & Cheese (during social hour)
Cranberry Walnut Salad
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Roasted Red Potatoes
Buttered Broccoli
Tiramisu
Tea / Water / Coffee

**Please let us know when reserving your ticket if you have any dietary restrictions.

MARCH 2023 STATED MEETING & ELECTION/INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS

Please join us for the March stated meeting of Texas Lodge of Research. We expect to have several papers read, including a paper by W:.M:. Richard Schlaudroff and another presentation by Pierre “Pete” Normand, Past Master of Texas Lodge of Research and Fellow.

Our host lodge will be St. Alban’s Lodge No. 1455, located at the Brazos Valley Masonic Library & Museum, 3411 Longmire Drive, College Station. The meeting will be on Saturday, March 18 at 9:00 am. Please note that this is an hour earlier than our usual start time. We will have a light breakfast available before the meeting, and lunch will be provided.

UPDATE: A donation of $15.00 for lunch is requested, and an additional donation for breakfast would be appreciated.

Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center is our host hotel, located at 177 Joe Routt Blvd, College Station, TX 77840. The hotel has offered King Rooms at $139 USD per night, with a block of rooms reserved for us. The cutoff date for the reserved block is February 15, 2023, so please book as early as possible at the following link:

Texas Lodge of Research Room Block

Please note that parking is included in this rate for one vehicle per room in the attached Gene Stallings Garage. For any questions, please contact the hotel at 979-260-2235.

The Friday evening “no-host dinner” will be in the hotel at the Brazos Proper Texas Kitchen. Our reservation is at 7:00 pm. The restaurant has graciously agreed to split the check for each guest.

We look forward to seeing you in College Station!

Future Meetings of TLR

Annual Anson Jones Lecture at Fort Worth – June 17, 2023
Host will be Fort Worth Lodge No. 148, located at 1100 Henderson Street, Fort Worth, TX. Dr. Ric Berman, Past Master and Long-Serving Secretary of Quatuor Coronati Lodge No. 2076, UGLE. He was the 2016 Prestonian Lecturer, and author of multiple books on Masonic history available on Amazon. More details to follow as soon as they become available.

Frederickburg – September 16, 2023

Galveston – December 16, 2023

December 2022 Stated Meeting

Please join us for the December stated meeting of Texas Lodge of Research. We expect to have two new member papers read and a presentation by Pierre “Pete” Normand, Past Master and Fellow of Texas Lodge of Research.

Our host lodge is Waco Lodge No. 92, located at 4324 Cobbs Dr, Waco, TX 76710. The meeting will be on Saturday, December 17 at 10:00 am. The lodge will have breakfast available before the meeting, and lunch will be provided. A donation of $12.00 for lunch is requested, and an additional donation for breakfast would be appreciated.

The Comfort Suites on La Salle is our host hotel, located at 2700 La Salle Avenue, Waco, Texas 76706. $126 USD per night is the room rate as of the time of this post, but please call (254) 523-6776 and ask for the standing Masonic discount code of “LCOUN.” Rooms may be limited due to the Baylor winter commencement that weekend.

The Friday evening “no-host dinner” will be at Cafe Homestead, located at 608 Dry Creek Road, Waco, TX 76705. Reservation is for Friday, December 16 at 6:00 pm. Please be advised that they will not split the check for us, so we are asking all attendees to bring cash or check.

We look forward to seeing you in Waco!

Future Meetings of TLR

College Station – March 18, 2023
Host will be St. Alban’s Lodge No. 1455, located at the Brazos Valley Masonic Library & Museum, 3411 Longmire Drive, College Station. The host hotel will be Texas A&M Hotel and Conference Center at a nightly group rate of $139 for a King room. Reservation link and details to follow as soon as they become available.

Fort Worth – June 17, 2023
Host will be Fort Worth Lodge No. 148, located at 1100 Henderson Street, Fort Worth, TX. More details to follow as soon as they become available.

September 2022 Stated Meeting

Please join us for the September stated meeting of Texas Lodge of Research.

Our host lodge is Davy Crockett Lodge No. 1225, and the meeting will be held at 519 Alametos, San Antonio, TX 78212 on Saturday, September 17 at 10:00 am. The lodge will have breakfast tacos available before the meeting, and lunch will be provided. A donation of $12.00 for lunch is requested, and an additional donation for breakfast would be appreciated.

A block of rooms for TLR attendees has been reserved at the Courtyard San Antonio Airport/North Star Mall for $104 USD per night. Please click on the link below to make your reservation.

https://www.marriott.com/event-reservations/reservation-link.mi?id=1661882410792&key=GRP&app=resvlink

The Friday evening “no-host dinner” will be at Los Barrios Restaurant, located near Davy Crockett Lodge on 4223 Blanco Rd, San Antonio, TX 78212. Reservation is for Friday, September 16 at 7:00 pm, and they have agreed to accommodate us with split checks.

We look forward to seeing you in San Antonio!

Future Meetings of TLR

Waco – December 17, 2022
More details to follow as soon as they become available.

College Station – March 18, 2023
More details to follow as soon as they become available.

Fort Worth – June 17, 2023
More details to follow as soon as they become available.

June 2022 Stated Meeting and Anson Jones Lecture

The June 2022 TLR Annual Meeting and Installation will be held in Dallas, TX on June 18, 2022. The meeting will be hosted by Dallas Lodge No. 760, located at 5300 Forest Ln, Dallas, TX 75244.

No-host dinner will be on Friday night, June 17, at 6:30 PM at Cantina Laredo. The restaurant is located at 4546 Belt Line Road, Addison, TX 75001. The restaurant has a policy of no more than 4 bills for large parties, so bringing cash will make things easier. (972) 458-0962.

Host Hotel
Courtyard by Marriott Dallas – Addison/Midway, located at 4165 Proton Drive, Addison, TX 75001. Our negotiated rate is $94/night plus tax. The hospitality room will be in the Addison Room of the hotel.

Registration Link: tinyurl.com/3mp74dm7

Anson Jones Lecture
Black-tie dinner on Saturday evening, June 18, at 6:00 PM in the Isabelle Room of Texas. It is a very nice chophouse, and there is a second-floor, open-air balcony adjacent to the Isabelle Room. Texas is located at 3609 Shire Boulevard, Richardson, TX 75082, just east of Highway 75 on the George Bush Turnpike. (972) 664-9975.

Our Anson Jones Lecturer this year is D. Allen Surratt, KGC, Most Illustrious Grand Sovereign United Grand Imperial Council Red Cross of Constantine

We look forward to seeing you in Dallas!

Future Meetings of TLR

San Antonio – September 17, 2022
More details to follow as soon as they become available.

Location TBD – December 17, 2022
More details to follow as soon as they become available.

College Station – March, 2023

MARCH 2022 ANNUAL MEETING and Installation – Lubbock

The March 2022 TLR Annual Meeting and Installation will be held in Lubbock, TX on March 19, 2022 at 9:00 AM. This meeting will also have a paper presented by Grand Master Brad Billings.

The meeting will be at the Lubbock Scottish Rite Bodies at 1101 70th Street, Lubbock, TX 79412. 

The host hotel is the Cotton Court Hotel Lubbock, 1610 Broadway Street, Lubbock, TX 70401, (806) 758-5800.  Please contact the hotel directly for reservations and mention that you are registering for the Grand Master’s Conference.

No-host dinner will be on Friday night, March 18, at a local restaurant (details to be announced).

We look forward to seeing you in Lubbock!

Future Meetings of TLR

Dallas – TBA
More details to follow as soon as they become available.