Freemasons. St. John's Lodge No. 1 (Charlottetown, P.E.I.)

St. John's Lodge of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons received its charter from the Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia in 1797. Ebenezer Nicholson was appointed first master. After several changes in the numbering of the Lodge, and subsequent to the establishment of several other lodges on Prince Edward Island, it became No. 1 when Prince Edward Island formed its own Grand Lodge in 1875. Until 1878 the Lodge met in homes of various members and in rooms on Water and Upper Queen Streets in Charlottetown. In 1878 they negotiated to share the Masonic Hall of the Victoria and King Solomon Lodges. A new Masonic Hall was built in 1891 which served as an opera house and theatre as well as for masonic meetings until December of 1955 when it burned. St. John's Lodge continues its work to date.