History of the Lodge
A record of fellowship, leadership, and service spanning generations in DeKalb County, Tennessee.
Lodge History
Center Hill Lodge No. 77, Free & Accepted Masons, has served the community of Smithville and DeKalb County, Tennessee, for generations. The lodge traces its origins to the early Masonic tradition in this region, when a small group of dedicated men gathered to form a fraternal bond grounded in brotherly love, relief, and truth.
Over the years, the lodge has reflected the life of the community around it — shaped by the same families, civic leaders, and tradesmen who built Smithville into the town it is today. The record of the lodge is a record of DeKalb County itself.
The 1937 Liberty Lodge Commemorative Building Marker
A lasting record of brotherhood, sacrifice, and community commitment.
The 1937 Liberty Lodge No. 77 commemorative building marker
Set into the lodge building is one of the most important visible links to the history of Center Hill Lodge No. 77. This marble piece is best understood as a commemorative building marker. It identifies the building as Liberty Lodge No. 77, F. & A.M., with the date 1831 carved into the left side and 1937 carved into the right side. The date 1831 marks the early history of Liberty Lodge No. 77, while the 1937 date marks the construction or dedication of this lodge building.
Although the lodge is now known as Center Hill Lodge No. 77, the commemorative building marker preserves the older name, Liberty Lodge No. 77. This stone is a reminder that the present lodge continues a much older Masonic tradition in Smithville and DeKalb County.
The marker also preserves the names of the brethren who helped make the 1937 building possible. These men served on the Finance Committee and Building Committee and represented some of the most active civic, professional, and family names in Smithville during that period.
Finance Committee
- J. E. Evins, Chairman
- G. E. Braswell
- J. R. Colvert
- W. R. Tittsworth
- W. J. Evins
- T. J. Potter
Building Committee
- R. L. Estes
- A. H. Evins
- T. J. Potter
- W. H. Vickers
The Men Behind the Marker
The chairman of the Finance Committee, J. E. Evins, was James Edgar Evins, one of Smithville's most prominent citizens. Evins was a businessman, mayor of Smithville, and Tennessee state senator. He played an important role in promoting the development of Center Hill Dam and Reservoir, one of the major public works projects that helped shape modern DeKalb County. Edgar Evins State Park was later named in his honor.
Another important name on the stone is Dr. T. J. Potter, who served on both the Finance Committee and the Building Committee. Dr. Thomas J. Potter was one of Smithville's early physicians and a respected community leader. His service on both committees shows the confidence the lodge placed in him and reflects the close connection between the lodge, local leadership, and public service in Smithville.
The Evins name appears more than once on the marker. Along with J. E. Evins, the Finance Committee included W. J. Evins, and the Building Committee included A. H. Evins. The presence of multiple members of the Evins family reflects the family's deep connection to Smithville and to the civic life of DeKalb County.
The other names on the stone — Braswell, Colvert, Tittsworth, Estes, and Vickers — are also long-standing DeKalb County names. Together, the men listed on this marker represent a generation of local Masons who invested their time, resources, and leadership into building a permanent home for the lodge.
A Foundation for Today
The building marker endures as a public record of brotherhood and community commitment.
The 1937 commemorative building marker is more than a marble inscription. It is a public record of brotherhood, sacrifice, and community commitment. It connects today's Center Hill Lodge No. 77 with the earlier Liberty Lodge No. 77 and with the men who helped preserve Masonry in Smithville through the difficult years of the Great Depression.
Today, this stone remains part of the building and part of the lodge's story. It reminds every visitor that Center Hill Lodge No. 77 stands on a foundation laid by earlier generations of brothers who believed in fellowship, moral instruction, charity, and service to the community.