In the year 1883 a group of Master Masons in Newport News saw the need for a Masonic Lodge. This Lodge, under its charter granted by the Grand Lodge of Virginia was to be known as Bremond Lodge No. 241.
The first meeting, held under dispensation, was organized on June 11, 1883, at a meeting of local Masons in the new Hotel Warwick on West Avenue and Twenty-fifth Street. The prime mover to found the Lodge was Colonel Louis Bremond, the first agent for the C &O Railroad. The Railroad into Newport News was completed on October 15, 1881. Brother Bremond was raised in Widows Sons Lodge No. 60 in Charlottesville, Virginia, and later affiliated with Dove Lodge No. 51 in Richmond, Virginia. The Lodge was named in honor of Brother Bremond in consideration of his efforts and support in its organization.
There were seven Brethren present at that first meeting. A committee was appointed to secure suitable quarters for the Lodge, which they located above the tavern of Brother Julius Landsberg in the one hundred block of Twenty-third Street, known as 'The Office'.
At a called meeting on July 31, 1883, the dispensation was received to form and open a Lodge, which was granted by Most Worshipful Mann Page, Grand Mater of Masons in Virginia. There were sixteen charter members present. The first officers selected were:
The first Junior Deacon was one of the founders of Benson-Phillips, Inc. of Newport News, Virginia.
The charter was granted on December 13, 1883, and Right Worshipful Joseph Kahn constituted the Lodge on January 9, 1884, District Deputy Grand Master of Masonic District No. 28 (now in 14B).
The Lodge held its first stated Communication on August 14, 1883. A motion was made and adopted to make the dues fifty cents per month, and the fees for the degrees fixed at $15.00 for the Entered Apprentice and $10.00 each for the Fellowcraft and Master Mason degrees.
At a regular meeting on July 16, 1884, Brother Louis Bremond was elected to honorary membership in appreciation of his past interest and service to the Lodge.
The Lodge moved into more suitable quarters in the new Vine Building on April 15, 1885, situated on the Northeast corner of Washington Avenue and Twenty-sixth Street. On July 15, 1897, a committee appointed to secure larger quarters reported success. The top floor of the Harwood Building, located on the Northwest corner of Washington Avenue and twenty-seventh Street was accepted, to be jointly occupied by Bremond Lodge No. 241, and St. Johns Royal Arch Chapter No. 57, which agreed to move from Hampton, Virginia.
In the meantime, on June 17, 1897, the Lodge made a start at having its own home by purchasing five shares of stock in the Newport News Building and Loan Association, the investment to be known as the Bremond Lodge Building Fund. At the stated communication of May 1916, the Lodge adopted the recommendation of the building committee that the Lodge purchase two lots at the Southwest corner of Washington Avenue and thirty-third Street, and the key lot on thirty-third street, in conjunction with St. Johns Royal Arch Chapter.
At a called meeting on October 10, 1921, the Masonic Temple Corporation reported on the bids received for erecting a Temple at Thirty-third Street and Washington Avenue. After much discussion, the report was adopted by a vote of forty-nine to four. The Cornerstone was laid January 19, 1922, by the officers of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, with Most Worshipful John S. Battimore, Grand Master of Masons in Virginia, presiding. The building was completed in February 1923, and the Lodge moved at that time from the Harwood Building, and into their own temple, a handsome, five-story edifice. The first three floors were reserved for commercial use. The fourth floor was reserved for Bremond and Peninsula Lodges, and the fifth floor for St. Johns Royal Arch chapter.
These pleasant accommodations were enjoyed for the next fifty years, until the downtown location became a handicap, due to the exodus of the business establishments to a more favorable location. The loss of tenants in the Masonic Temple Building forced the holding bodies of the Masonic Temple Corporation to offer the property for sale. A sale was finally negotiated with Nice Brothers, Incorporated in October 1979. The Masonic bodies in turn rented the Lodge rooms from the new owners for about two years. In the meantime, Bremond Lodge started a building fund, to which the members contributed generously. Then due to the excessive costs of the lease required by Nice Brothers, Inc., Bremond Lodge started a search for less costly quarters. Transportation Lodge No. 337, located on Deep Creek Road, made a generous offer at a modest rent. Their hospitality was greatly appreciated.
In 1982, Bremond Lodge purchased approximately three acres of land at 12735 Warwick Boulevard, across from Peninsula Memorial Park. Construction of the temple started in November 1982.The Cornerstone was laid in January 1983, with Right Worshipful William M. Johnson, Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Virginia presiding in the cold rain. Most Worshipful William Joseph McMahon, Past Grand Master and a member of this Lodge was in attendance. The first communication was held in the new temple in June 1983.
Mention must be made of the services of Right Worshipful Edward Mabin Wagner, Sr., "Boss", in the construction of the new building. "Boss" served as the construction superintendent for the project and it was mostly due to his efforts that the construction progressed so smoothly.