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The Gavel's Travels
As part of Potomac Lodge No. 5's stewardship of this important historical
artifact, the Lodge responds to several requests each year for
presentations or ceremonies which include the George Washington Gavel.
The first recorded use of the Gavel after the laying of the cornerstone
of the Capitol was August 22, 1824 when it was used to lay the cornerstone
of the City Hall of the District of Columbia.
Since that time, it has been used to lay the cornerstone of many public
buildings throughout the eastern part of the United States and for
other public and Masonic ceremonies of an historical nature. The following
Presidents of the United States, all Master Masons but two, have either
used or been present at the using of the Gavel on the occasions cited below:
- James K. Polk in the laying of the cornerstone of the
Smithsonian Building, May 1, 1847.
- Millard Fillmore in the laying of the cornerstone of the
extension of the U. S. Capitol, July 4, 1851.
- James Buchanan at the dedication of the Equestrian Statue
of George Washington, February 22, 1860.
- William McKinley at the George Washington Centennial Observance
at Mt. Vernon, December 14, 1899.
- Theodore Roosevelt at the celebration of the sesquicentennial
date on which General Washington received the Master Mason's degree,
November 2, 1902; in laying the cornerstone of the House Office Building,
April 14, 1906; and again, in laying the cornerstone of the Masonic Temple,
801 13th Street, NW, June 8, 1907.
- William H. Taft in laying the cornerstone of the
All Souls Unitarian Church, February 13, 1913.
- Warren G. Harding in laying the cornerstone of the Washington
Victory Memorial, November 14, 1921.
- Herbert Hoover in laying the cornerstone of the Department
of Commerce, June 10, 1929 and the Department of Labor, December
15, 1932.
- Harry S. Truman in the Centennial Observance of the cornerstone
laying of the Washington Monument, July 1, 1948, this being a repeat
engagement for the Gavel as it was used to lay the original cornerstone
of the Monument, Jul 1, 1848.
- Dwight D. Eisenhower in laying the cornerstone
of the new extension of the U. S. Capitol building, July 4, 1959.
Potomac Lodge was singularly honored by having Her Majesty Queen
Elisabeth II personally use the Gavel in laying the cornerstone
of the addition to the British Embassy, October 19, 1957.
The George Washington Gavel has been present on numerous historic
occasions in recent years, including the reenactment of the placing of the
original boundary marker of the District of Columbia located at
Jones Point near the Potomac River shoreline of Alexandria, Virginia.
This ceremony was one of the Masonic events conducted by the Grand
Lodge, F.A.A.M., of the District of Columbia, as a salute
to our country's Bi-Centennial Celebration on October 9, 1976.
The ceremonial usage of the Gavel was most evident in 1982, when
it was present for several special programs commemorating the 250th
Anniversary of the birth of Illustrious Brother George Washington.
The events were held not only at Potomac Lodge No. 5, but in several
other locations including Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4, in Fredericksburg,
Virginia, where he was initiated an Entered Apprentice Mason on
November 4, 1752, and became a Master Mason on August 4, 1753; and
in Alexandria Washington Lodge No. 22, in Alexandria, Virginia.
Washington was installed as that Lodge's first Worshipful Master
on November 22, 1788, when the warrant was issued by the Grand Lodge,
A.F. & A.M., of Virginia, less than six months prior to his
inauguration as the First President of the United States of America
on April 30, 1789.
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