Dispensation: August 12, 1964
 Chartered: January 26, 1965
 

HISTORY OF FIDELITY LODGE #192

The history of Fidelity Lodge No. 192 begins on March 14, 1964 with the organization of the Sojourners Masonic Club of Fort Collins, Colorado and the election of its president, Clarence Conrad Carlson.

A Petition for Dispensation was submitted to the Grand Lodge of Colorado A.F. & A.M.  on July 31, 1964 which contained the signatures of 53 Sojourner Master Masons from 12 states.  On August 12, Most Worshipful Grand Master Charles L. Thompson presented a dispensation to Fidelity Lodge, U.D. and three petitions were received for the degrees of Masonry.   During the 1950's and 60's there was much interest in the Masonic related Orders, and the only nights consistently available for meetings were Saturday and Sunday.  Fidelity elected to hold their communications on the second and fourth Saturday of each month.  This was of benefit to many members as some were working shift work during the evenings, and some had conflicts with long-standing meetings on week nights. This practice continued until the mid 1980's when stated communications were moved to the second and fourth Thursday of each month.  The first Entered Apprentice Degree was conferred on September 12, 1964 followed by the first Fellow Craft Degree on September 26 and the first Master Mason Degree on October 24, 1964.

All records and a Petition for Charter were submitted on January 2, 1965 to the Grand Lodge for review by the Charter Committee.  A Charter was granted to Fidelity Lodge No. 192 on January 25, 1965 at the 104^th communication of the Grand Lodge of Colorado A.F. & A.M.  On January 29, 1965, Most Worshipful Grand Master John H. Wesch presented Fidelity Lodge No. 192 its Charter which has January 26, 1965 affixed at its date of charter. The Charter also contains the names of the 53 original organizing sojourners plus the names of six Master Masons raised while under dispensation for a total of 59 Charter Members.  The records show that all of the principal officers of this new Lodge were Past Masters of their former lodge.

Worshipful Brother Clarence C. Carlson was elected Master Under Dispensation in 1964 and our first Worshipful Master in 1965.  He was also elected Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons in Colorado in 1974.  Worshipful Brother Ralph A. Braden, another charter member, was appointed Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge of Colorado in 1975 and Brother John Burke was appointed Grand Lecturer of the Grand Lodge from 1970-1975.