{"nrhp_refnum":"99001505","name":"Hamilton Masonic Lodge","other_names":["VDHR No. 53-4"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"43 S. Rogers St.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Hamilton","county":"Loudoun County","state":"VA","lat":39.13382217600008,"lon":-77.66482957399995,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1999-12-09","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture","Education"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A three-story brick Italianate building at 43 South Rogers Street in Hamilton, Loudoun County, Virginia, built in 1873 as a Masonic Lodge and public schoolhouse. It was designed by John R. Lamden and built by Richard Ruse.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the building is the finest surviving Lodge building in northern Loudoun County, with a pilaster design and open belfry unique in the county. It is the only Masonic building in the county that follows Freemasonry design principles. It also served as Hamilton's public school until 1921 and is one of the few surviving 1870s school buildings in the county.","narrative":"Built in 1873 at 43 South Rogers Street in Hamilton, this three-story brick building was designed as a meeting place for Masonic Lodge No. 37 and as a public schoolhouse. Architect John R. Lamden of Alexandria and local builder Richard Ruse produced an Italianate structure with a front gable, an open wooden belfry, and unusual brick pilasters formed by recessed wall panels beneath paired cornice brackets. The plan follows Freemasonry principles: a rectangular form facing east and west, two entrances, and the lodge room on an upper floor. It was the first building in Loudoun County constructed expressly as a Masonic Lodge. The first two floors served as Hamilton's only public school until 1921. The Masons stopped meeting there in 1953. Its listing rests on architectural significance, citing the pilaster design and belfry as unique in the county and the building's standing among surviving 1870s schools. A recent restoration replaced windows, gutters, the belfry and the bell.","period_of_significance":"1873 - 1949 (as a Masonic Lodge); 1873 - 1921 as a school","architect_builder":"Lamden, John R., architect; Ruse, Richard, builder","architectural_style":"Late Victorian: Italianate","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Recently and extensively restored by the current owner, including replica windows, copper gutters, a rebuilt belfry and a new bell; described as well preserved. The Masonic Lodge closed in 1953 and now meets in Purcellville.","vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:52:00.766675-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/7/6816/41681607/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_VA/99001505.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/99001505/12a51a5ea4-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/99001505/12a51a5ea4-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Cecouchman","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HamiltonMasonicLodge_0834.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Cecouchman</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HamiltonMasonicLodge_0834.jpg"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"82001822","name":"Goose Creek Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/virginia/goose-creek-historic-district-82001822/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/41681607","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamilton_Masonic_Lodge","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q5645055"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/virginia/loudoun-county/hamilton-masonic-lodge-99001505/"}