Peachtree Lodge No. 732

In 1968 a group of Masons from the Atlanta area, discussed the idea of another Masonic Lodge for the area. There being lodges named Atlanta, Buckhead, Capital City, Capitol View, Fulton, Gate city, Grant Park, Lakewood and Piedmont, all famous names – but no Peachtree – so the name Peachtree was immediately chosen.

A petition was drawn and left with Worshipful Brother Edward J. “Chick” Hosch, Jr., Recorder of Yaarab Temple, and by early May 1968, 148 Master Masons had expressed a desire to become Charter Members of the new lodge. The first organizational meeting was held on May 23, 1968, in the Yaarab Temple with 53 of the petitioners present. Worshipful Brother Hosch, a Past Master of Morningside Lodge No. 295 was chosen as the first Master, Brother L. Paul Meadows as the Senior Warden, and Brother Edward B. Vann, Jr. as the Junior Warden, along with a complete line of officers, subject to the approval of Grand Lodge.

A petition for Dispensation, with the approval of Atlanta Lodge No. 59, to form a new lodge was presented to the Grand Lodge and on June 26, 1969 a meeting was called at the Atlanta Masonic Temple, where arrangements had been made for meetings, and Rite Worshipful Brother Daniel W. Locklin, Grand Secretary,
presented the Dispensation signed by Most Worshipful Brother Raymond B. Muse, Grand Master.

Eight (8) petitions were read at the first meeting, seven (7) of these were raised to the sublime degree of master mason before the Charter was granted, thereby becoming Charter Members.  The Charter was granted by Grand Lodge at its Annual communication on 22-23 October, 1968.  On November 10, 1968, a called Communication was held to receive the Charter. Most Worshipful Brother Durwood Mercer, Grand Master and other Grand Lodge Officers held an Emergent Communication of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Georgia for the purpose of presenting the Charter and installing the acting officers. This was the beginning of Peachtree Lodge No. 732. Of the 142 signers of the petition, 141 were members of the Shrine.  The 142^nd became a Shriner shortly after the Lodge was formed.