by Wor. Bruce G. Sanders, Jr.

Originally written in 1962 to commemorate the Lodge's 50th anniversary.

In 1903, the Government of the United States entered into a treaty with the Government of the newly-formed Republic of Panama, which resulted in the creation of the Canal Zone and eventually, in 1915, to the opening of the Panama Canal to international maritime commerce. The United States Government established the Isthmian Canal Commission and charged that organization with the sanitation of the Canal Zone and the excavation and construction of the Panama Canal. During the years 1904-1914, towns were established along the line of the Canal to house the Commission's employees and their families. The principal towns were Cristobal, on the Atlantic side of the Isthmus of Panama, adjacent to the Panamanian City of Colon, and Ancon, on the Pacific and next door to Panama, the Capital City of the Republic of Panama. 

As early as 1906 a group of Masons submitted a petition to the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts for the formation of a Masonic Lodge at Ancon, Canal Zone. The dispensation was granted, but for some reason no Lodge was formed. The Atlantic-side Brethren could visit Sojourners, No. 874, holding forth in the City of Colon, Panama, under charter from the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Scotland since 1898. Train schedules from the Pacific-side were not conducive for Masons residing there to regularly attend meetings in Colon. The Pacific-side Brethren found it necessary to spend the night on the Atlantic-side and could not get back home until the afternoon of the next day. In the absence of Lodges in the Canal Zone, Masonic Clubs were formed in several towns along the line of the Canal. The first came into being in Culebra in 1907 and was followed by others in Paraiso, Empire, Ancon, Gorgona, Las Cascada, and Gatun. Each of these clubs appointed a delegate to a Masonic Advisory Board, and in January 1910, that Board published a booklet which gave the number of sojourning Masons in the Canal Zone as 1,064, representing every State in the Union and 40 foreign jurisdictions as well. The Masonic Clubs sponsored picnics, dances, outings and other social activities. They provided occasions for Masons to meet and discuss things Masonic, but they fell short of being Masonic Lodges.

A Chapter of Royal Arch Masons was organized at Las Cascadas in 1910, followed by a Council of Royal & Select Masters in 1911, and a Commandery of Knights Templar in 1912.

In 1911, a group of Master Masons petitioned the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Massachusetts for a dispensation to form a Masonic Lodge at Las Cascadas. At about the same time a group in Cristobal presented a similar prayer for the formation of a Lodge at that place. No action was taken on the Las Cascadas petition, and it was finally decided that Sojourners, No. 874, in Colon, which by that time had a large American membership, would surrender its charter to the Grand Lodge of Scotland, and the Brethren who desired would petition for a dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, and at the completion of the dispensation period, might receive a charter from that Grand Lodge under the same conditions as those governing issuance of charters to Lodges within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

The transportation difficulties continued to impose a hardship on Pacific-side Masons, and so on September 11, 1912, Brother Gerald DeLeo Bliss, Postmaster at Culebra, Canal Zone, addressed a letter to the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, on behalf of 43 petitioners from 29 Masonic jurisdictions, praying for a dispensation to form a new Lodge at Ancon to be called Canal Zone Lodge. Brother Bliss very ably set forth local conditions necessitating the new Lodge and suggested that concurrent jurisdiction over the Canal Zone be shared with Sojourners Lodge.

A dispensation was granted on November 4, 1912, and Canal Zone Lodge, U.D., was formed November 30, 1912, at Masonic Hall, Ancon, with 27 signers of the prayer for dispensation and 111 Brethren present. Concurrent jurisdiction was authorized and still prevails today within the Canal Zone Masonic District. Brother John Belcher Fields of Gatesville Lodge No. 197, Gatesville, Texas, assumed the station of Worshipful Master with Brothers Gerald DeLeo Bliss of Olive Lodge No. 575, Sherman, New York, and Carl P. Hoffman of Phoenix Lodge No. 115, Dansville, New York, assuming stations of Senior and Junior Wardens, respectively.

At the first stated communication on December 14, 1912, 21 applications were received. During the period of dispensation (December 14, 1912-February 14, 1914), 115 applications were received and 55 applicants elected to receive the degrees.

The first meeting-place was the Ancon Community Hall, a frame building owned by the Isthmian Canal Commission, which had been converted into a lodge building for the use of all fraternal organizations in the immediate vicinity. It was here that Most Worshipful Everett Chamberlin Benton, Grand Master, accompanied by the Deputy Grand Master, R.W. Herbert H. Fletcher, and the Recording Grand Secretary, R.W. Thomas W. Davis, visited the Lodge on January 19, 1913. Here, too, R.W. Herbert H. Fletcher constituted the Lodge on February 21, 1914.

The Community Lodge Hall afforded little or no privacy, no place to store equipment, and afforded no real conveniences of any kind. The Brethren soon wanted their own building, and in March 1913, Canal Zone Lodge appointed a committee to meet with Canal Zone Chapter, No. 1, Royal Arch Masons, Canal Zone Council, No. 1, Royal & Select Masters, and Canal Zone Commandery, No. 1, Knights Templar, to secure a site where the Lodge could build a hall of its own. In May of 1914, a request was made of the Canal Commission for one of three lots, and in September of that year, the Lodge appropriated $2,000 as its share of a joint building fund. Approval was given that month to the first choice of lots. 

In October 1914, the Canal Record carried the following item: "Masons Apply for a Building Site in Ancon. The following Masonic Lodges have asked for a site in Ancon for the erection of a Masonic Hall: Canal Zone Lodge, A.F.& A.M.; Canal Zone Chapter, No. 1 R.A.M.; Canal Zone Council, No. 1, R.S.M.; Canal Zone Commandery, No. 1. The site requested is the vacant area, known in French times as Ancon section; later, the site of the American Corral in Ancon. It is proposed to build a 2-story frame structure, approximately 40 x 110 feet, with the lower story fitted for an assembly or social hall, library, and office, and the upper story for lodge purposes. The above lodges will bear the expense of the building jointly in case construction is authorized."

In December 1914, the lot was staked out. In March 1915, plans had been drawn, most of the construction material bought and work was proceeding satisfactorily. On the morning of May 27, 1915, the building caught on fire and suffered damages amounting to $750. Despite this temporary setback, in July 1915 the Worshipful Master reported the hall about completed, at a cost of less than $8,000.

The first meeting in the new hall was a meeting of Canal Zone Lodge on September 11, 1915, and was also the occasion of its dedication by Wor. John Belcher Fields as Acting Grand Master, pursuant to appointment by the Most Worshipful Grand Master of Massachusetts for that purpose. Canal Zone Lodge occupied this home for 25 years and five months.

On January 24, 1917, Most Worshipful Melvin Maynard Johnson visited the Lodge in his capacity as Special Deputy Grand Master and presented the Worshipful Master and Wardens with jewels to be worn when visiting other Lodges.

One meeting during the occupancy of this hall attracted so many Brethren it was held under dispensation in the Shrine Mosque, Balboa Heights. It was a special communication on the Master Mason Degree on February 17, 1921, on the occasion of a visit of the United States Battle Fleet to the Isthmus. There were present a Past Grand Master of Kentucky, 15 Masters and Past Masters of almost as many jurisdictions, 132 Masons from the Canal Zone and 260 Masons from 39 U.S. jurisdictions, Panama, Scotland, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and England.

In November 1934, Canal Zone Lodge initiated the construction of the Ancon Masonic Temple, with the concurrence of the other owning bodies. At that time Abou Saad Temple, A.A.O.N.M.S., was admitted into ownership. Preliminary plans were available in April 1935 and final plans approved a year later. The last meeting of Canal Zone Lodge in Masonic Hall was held on June 5, 1936, and the Lodge then met in the Scottish Rite Temple, Balboa, pursuant to a dispensation issued by the District Grand Master, until January 27, 1937. On August 9, 1936, a special communication of Sojourners, Canal Zone, Army, Darien, Isthmian, Sibert, and Chagres Lodges was called and opened at the Ancon Clubhouse, followed by a procession to the site of the new Ancon Masonic Temple, where the cornerstone was laid by the Right Worshipful District Grand Lodge with the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Panama in attendance. The new Temple was occupied by Canal Zone Lodge on February 5, 1937. In 1949 the lodge-room was air-conditioned, and in 1955 improvements were made to the Temple, and Isthmian Lodge was accepted into part ownership.

On July 27, 1977, Isthmian Lodge merged with Canal Zone Lodge to form Canal Zone Isthmian Lodge.

On July 4, 1982, Chagres Lodge merged with Canal Zone Isthmian Lodge to form Ancon Lodge.

1913 John Belcher Fields

1914 John Belcher Fields

1915 Gerald DeLeo Bliss

1916 Wooster Bell Stewart

1917 Lewis Edgar Williams

1918 Bruce Gordon Sanders

1919 William John Vickery

1920 William A. Stevenson

1921 William Warren Belcher

1922 Charles Alvenzy McGlade

1923 John Alexander McLeod

1924 Floyd Herbert Baldwin

1925 Christian Lauritz Neilsen

1926 Percy Elwood Murray

1927 Louis Charles Warner

1928 Jack Adrian Muller

1929 Henry Newcomb Engelke

1930 William W. Mendez Monsanto

1931 Roy George Boggs

1932 Carl Philip Wanke

1933 James Everett Heady

1934 Leroy Bernard Magnuson

1935 James Herbert Spalding

1936 Earl Rodney Baltozer

1937 George Frederick Herman

1938 Gilbert Miller Stevenson

1939 Charles P. Campbell

1940 Paul Edward Kline

1941 Herbert Henry Tabert

1942 James Horace Jones

1943 Thomas Guy Coleman

1944 Edward Clear Bigelow

1945 George Peters Fullman

1946 Gerald DeLeo Bliss, Jr.

1947 Cornelius B. Heitman

1948 Russell Tallman Wise

1949 Arthur Nicholas Asad

1950 Alton J Hayward

1951 Roy Theodore High

1952 Edgar F. Daggett

1953 Howard W. Osborn

1954 Roger M. Howe

1955 Bruce G. Sanders, Jr.

1956 Slaughter H. Sharpensteen

1957 Howard G. Gee

1958 James F. Stuart

1959 John W. R. Muller

1960 Orlando L. Flye, Jr.

1961 Jack G. Lenneville

1962 Elmer Kanz

1963 John A. Everson

1964 Donald F. McAtee

1965 Roscoe Cleveland

1966 Alcus A. Dean

1967 William D. McGown

1968 Grady G. Gailey

1969 William E. Burns

1970 Elizer D. Lugo

1971 Theodor Hans

1972 Charles R. Lavallee

1973 Grady G. Gailey

1974 Fernando Martinez

1975 Albert F. Hanson

1976 Guy U. Hall

1977 Howell W. Atwell

1978 Hugo A. Adams

1979 James A. Hudgins

1980 Terrence E. Howard

1981 Virgil E. Voyles

1982 Virgil E. Voyles

1983 Fredrick N. Boalt

1984 Danial G. Taylor

1985 Robert U. Schultz

1986 Gilbert M. Stay

1987 Darryl L. Steiner

1988 Theodore G. Walker

1989 Robert M. Gamble

1990 Edward J. Russell, Jr.

1991 Robert U. Schultz

1992 George O'Masta, Jr.

1993 Charles D. Blakeslee

1994 Michael C. Hevron

1995 Jack R. Tutzauer

1996 Keith Hutchison

1997 Gary Jugle

1998 Forrest B. Waller

1999 Michael C. Hevron

2000 Michael C. Hevron

2001 Roberto R. Sepulveda

2002 Gerard A. Dowden

2003 Helmut Stoeberl

2004 Robert B. Dunn

2005 Robert B. Dunn

2006 John P. Mercier

2007 Gerard A. Dowden

2008 Gerard A. Dowden

2009 George O'Masta, Jr.

2010 William O. Schiller

2011 William O. Schiller

2012 Albert C. Hopper, III

2013 Craig J. Morrissey

2014 Ivan A. Arce

2015 Jorge M. Gavrilidis

2016 Kyriakos Bakomichalis

2017 William Sun

2018 William Sun

2019 Gregory M. Sun

2020 Gregory M. Sun

2021 Juan Sanchez

2022 Roger D. Cordoba

2023 Kyriakos Bakomichalis

2024 Osvaldo Valenzuela

2025 Angel Cortes

2026 Ariel Weinmann-Rubino

1918 Lewis E. Williams

1919 Benjamin F. Hess

1920 Richard G. Taylor

1921 Oliver Bullock

1922 Charles A. Palmer

1923 Gilbert D. Bullock

1924 James G. Cook

1925 Allen S. Boyd

1926 Armand C. Wood

1927 Wallace B Ames

1928 Burton H. Mead

1929 Burton H. Mead

1930 Arthur R. Grier

1931 Joseph b. Sampsell

1932 David J. Evans

1933 Newell N. Shaw

1934 Frank J. Gershow

1935 Ed Brown

1936 Herbert R. Judson

1937 James A. Ross

1938 Eugene Provost, Jr.

1939 Adrian W. Web

1940 Fred W. Brown

1941 T. N. Etchberger

1942 Joseph A. Farr

1943 Harland V. Howard

1944 Edward W. Schanke

1945 Charles F. V. Steenberg

1946 George A. Sausel

1947 Emerson A. Gilmore

1948

1949 William F. Young

1950 Robert L. Malone

1951 Gerald J. Fox

1952 Lawrence S. Myers

1953 Bernice A. Herring

1954 Winters A. Hope

1955 Max M. Schock

1956 Harry F. Shannon

1957 Ernest B. Curling

1958 Harland V. Howard, Jr.

1959 James O. Catron

1960 George O. Kruse, Jr.

1961 Charles W. Hammond

1962 Robert E. Lee

1963 John R. McGlade

1964 Leroy B. Wilson, Jr.

1965 Joseph W. E. Bourgeois

1966 Raymond E. Allen

1977 Frederick R. Call

1968 Verlin B. Shelton

1969 Richard H. Crowell

1970 Harold H. Harp

1971 Franklin A Balmas

1972 David A. Hope

1973 W. Eugene Bondurant

1974 Ray S. Witt

1975 Walton G. McGee

1976 Charles A. McGlade

1977 Virgil L. Peters

1921 Charles C. Cameron

1922 Charles C. Cameron

1923 Calvin D. Eppley

1924 Fred R. Rice

1925 Samuel W. Newhard

1926 Arthur J. Barker

1927 George H. Buehler

1928 Abraham L. Brill

1929 Craig S. Neville

1930 Robert C. Worsley

1931 Albert H. Evans

1932 John F. Sankey

1933 Henry W. Gerrans

1934 Lawrence Getz

1935 Roger A. Orvis

1936 Walter C. Dugan

1937 Bert J. Benoit

1938 Simon P. Williams

1939 James W. Thompson

1940 Carl R. Newhard

1941 William H. Clinchard, Jr.

1942 Milton R. Smith

1943 Hugh E. Turner

1944 Robert R. Hicks

1945 John J. Dudak

1946 Henry W. Bigelow, Jr.

1947 Clarence C. Jester

1948 Howard H. Dvorak

1949 Elmer H. Gardner

1950 James G. Murray

1951 Ralph E. Harvey

1952 Charles J. Sorrell

1953 Elzy G. Fiffer

1954 Bennett J. Williams

1955 William S. McKey

1956 Clayburne A. McLelland

1957 Waldemar R. Zirkman

1958 Andrew J. Smith

1959 Ralph K. Frangioni, Sr.

1960 Willard K. Percy

1961 Thomas Brown

1962 Harold J. Million

1963 Perry E. Truxton

1964 Virgil R. Worsham

1965 Allen K. Miller

1966 Thomas C. Peterson

1967 James L. Dalton

1968 Klaus D. Reichert

1969 James F. Amason

1970 Thomas E. Barlow

1971 Clinton K. Murphy

1972 Stanley H. Bezzo

1973 Noland W. Creekmore

1974 Larry N. Bates

1975 Carl O. Riggs, Jr.

1976 John D. Nolan

1977 Rolando A. Linares, Jr.

1978 Earl R. Hancock

1979 Edwin L. Rindfusz

1980 James E. Henderson

1981 William A. Brown, III

1982 Ralph R. Rice