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Earlier this year I finally made it back out to photograph an old church that I missed while exploring the dirt roads north of Gainesville, Texas. That church is now a community center called Fishcreek Lodge #344 in Marysville, Texas.
Fishcreek Lodge #344 in Marysville, Texas
The Fishcreek Lodge #344 in Marysville, Texas is a large two story building that looks like it once was an old church or school house. I was told by another photographer who asked someone in town and the photographer was told it was the old Methodist church.
Some of my research of Marysville says the town was large enough to have a two teacher school until Camp Howze Opened 25 miles east of town. Many of the town’s citizens moved closer to the camp. The town closed the school and consolidated with another nearby town. After the base closed, some residents moved back but the school was not reopened.
Fishcreek Lodge reminds me of the community center in Illinois Bend, Texas. Both buildings are 2 story buildings with similar designs, community centers, and both are lodges for the community Masonic Lodges.
From my research, the Grand Lodge of Texas helped communities where they had lodges. They generally built a large building that would house a church, school house, community center, and the lodge. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Masons helped with the building of this building and it belonged to a church and school at one time.
Today, it’s a community center and Freemason Lodge. One person mentioned that they have their family reunions there.
I’m looking for more information on this old building and the town’s history. I am planning on writing an article over at Vanishing Texas about the town and the churches. If you know anything please contact me or comment below.
Fishcreek Lodge #344 in Marysville, Texas – Current Condition
The Fishcreek Lodge is in great shape and is still in use. The wood siding was removed or covered with metal siding and the roof has the same type of roof but a little rusty with age. During my visit the grass had recently cut.
About the Images
The images were shot on a bright sunny mid afternoon using my Sony a6000 and my Sony SELP18105G E PZ 18-105mm F4 G OSS with a K&F Concept Circular Polarizer by hand. I then edited the images with Adobe Lightroom CC and Topaz Labs Denoise AI and Topaz Labs Sharpen AI and DXO NIK Collection to clean up the image, remove noise, and recover the lost details.
About James
Neat
Hello James, I am the current Worshipal Master of Fish Creek lodge and just came across your article. Our lodge is the 2nd building, same design. It was rebuilt on the charcoal of the previous lodge in 1898. Originally it was in fact a school for Marysville one the lower level and our lodge room on the 2nd story. Masons built and believed in the education of children and this is why many of our oldest building were built this way. We were what’s called a moonlight lodge. This means meeting were on the Saturday on or after a full moon so that the men could see best to attend lodge by way of a full moon to light their way. We meet on the 3rd Tuesday of the month and you are welcomed to join us for dinner. Starting at 6:30
Garrett Patton
Thanks for this article. I just happened across this lodge this week. I too do professional photography on the back roads, much of it in North Texas. Just coming across this unexpected find was a shock. I’d once tried to access Marysville from the southeast, but the bridge had been washed out and I didn’t know another way in. Found it! Appreciate you posting this nice article and it is nice to see Mr. Patton’s reply as well. Safe travels.