Voices from Small Places - Arcadia, TX
The Newbern Masonic Lodge received its first dispensation in 1851, at the time located in the Newbern Community, ten miles northwest of Shelbyville. The Lodge moved from there to Buena Vista in 1859, and then ceased to meet for twelve years, mostly due to the Civil War. Newbern Lodge was re-chartered in 1889 in the Pleasant Grove Community, a few miles northeast of Arcadia. In 1922, the Newbern Lodge was relocated to Arcadia. Newbern Lodge meetings were continually held in the same two story wooden building until 1987. At this time, the members voted to build a new brick, one story building on the same site. The old structure was moved to the old J.D. Jones homeplace on FM 138 to the west.
