Hope Lodge #145

The original single-story lodge that was built on this site in 1857 was demolished and replaced by this Gothic Revival building to provide for the growing membership of the Masonic Lodge in 1916. Buildings of this style were quite rare for such a small town’s central business district. The building was designed by architect, G.B. Knapp, and it was constructed by contractor, A. Van Dyke. Both were members of the lodge. At the time the building was constructed, members of the lodge also included prominent Lafayette citizens of both Catholic and non-catholic denominations. Unlike in Europe at the time, Masons in the United States were considered more of a civic group than a religious organization. Among others, the following lodge members were listed in the records of 1916: Michel Girard, Onezime Mouton, Andre Martin, Dr. M. E. Saucier, John Stephan, Homer Mouton, John W. Faulk, Aimee Dufour, and Jefferson Caffery.