Lee Lodge No. 435, A.F. & A.M.

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker says about Lee Lodge No. 435. Now settle in, because this is a story about men who were tired of the ride. Back in 1875, Masons living out in the Rhea's Mill community (four miles northeast of where we're standing) had been making the trek all the way to McKinney just to hold their meetings.

Now, that kind of dedication says something about a man. But so does knowing when enough is enough. So that year, they went to the Grand Lodge of Texas and obtained a charter for a new lodge, one they could call their own, right there in their area.

For a while, they made do with rented quarters. Year after year, meeting after meeting, borrowed rooms. Then 1903 comes along, and the members voted to pick up and move to Prosper, which was, at the time, a major town sitting right on the Santa Fe rail line.

Where the rails go, opportunity follows, and the Masons knew it. By 1904, they had themselves a proper lodge hall, built and standing, and it served the fraternity for over six decades. Then in 1967, a new facility went up, and the lodge carried right on.

Some institutions weather time by changing with it. Lee Lodge No. 435 has been an important part of the Prosper community through all of it, and by the looks of things, it intends to stay that way.

What the marker says

In 1875 Masons living in the Rhea's Mill community (4 miles northeast), who had been traveling to McKinney for meetings, obtained a charter from the Grand Lodge of Texas for a new lodge to be located in their area. Meetings were held in rented quarters until 1903, when the members of the lodge voted to move to Prosper, a major town on the Santa Fe rail line. A lodge hall was constructed in 1904 and served the fraternity until 1967, when a new facility was built. The lodge has continued to be an important part of the Prosper community. (1987)