Travis DeMoss of Masonic Late Lodge 63 approached Bridgeport City Council back in March, asking if the fraternal organization could lay the cornerstone for the new Indoor Sports & Recreation Complex.

 

“It’s been a longstanding tradition of the masonic fraternity to lay the first stone for public buildings with an elegant cornerstone ceremony, open to the public,” he said.

 

Council agreed the cornerstone ceremony would be a nice addition to the much-anticipated construction of the athletic facility.

 

That ceremony is set for 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 26 and the public is encouraged to come attend and be part of community history.

 

“There are only a few things we do in public and this is one of them,” said DeMoss, worshipful master of Masonic Late Lodge 63. “The Masons have built buildings since the beginning of time – in the stone ages. Back then, Masons laid all the cornerstones of the buildings.”

 

The unique ceremony will feature the lowering of the stone – not a typical stone.

 

“Inside will be a capsule containing several artifacts pertaining to this era,” DeMoss said.

 

DeMoss, Mayor Lang and others will determine what those artifacts will be. They will be contained in the cornerstone of the building until someday in the distant future – perhaps a couple hundred years or more – when the building expires and comes down.

 

“At that time, there will be another public ceremony as those artifacts will be shared.

DeMoss recently attended such a ceremony, following the demolition of the old Grafton High School in 2017. The school had been built in 1915. Among artifacts discovered were an old charter and newspaper clipping.

 

The cornerstones laid by the Masons are clearly marked on the outside and contain the organization’s insignia, as well as the date it was laid.

 

Other local public buildings for which the Masonic Lodge have laid cornerstones for include Bridgeport Middle School, constructed in the nearly 20 years ago.

 

There have been buildings which the Masons would have liked to lay stones for, but the process is a detailed one and can only be administered when the timing is just right.

 

“You really have to be preemptive with this,” DeMoss said. “There are certain laws and the cornerstone has to be the first part of the building. It has to be laid before any other construction takes place and there are certain necessary dimensions.”

 

DeMoss was in touch with City Council and facility architect, Omni Associates’ Richard Forren, even earlier than March of this year. This will be the first ceremony under DeMoss’s direction as worshipful master and he is very pleased about it. He said he expects upwards of 50 masons to attend. Most Worshipful Master David R. Holt, grand master of the West Virginia Grand Lodge, will facilitate the laying of the cornerstone. There will be a stage set up and a drummer will be part of the ceremony.

 

The Indoor Sports & Recreation Complex site is located on Forrester Drive, just across from the Recreation Complex baseball facility. Forrester Drive is accessible from Route 131. The facility is expected to be completed in late-2020. Site work has been completed and footers have been poured.

 

Editor's Note: Pictured is Travis DeMoss, a rendering of the Indoor Sports & Recreation Complex and building site photos.