Tablets and Plaques

In 1924, the Klinck, Wickenberg, and Company building (formerly Shepheard's Tavern) was torn down and a distinguished bank and office building erected in the same place.  Throughout the years for various reasons, Freemasons and especially Scottish Rite Masons have asked for and obtained permission to attach tablets to the outside of the building. The owner of the building has always approved such requests.  The following is a list of all the Masonic tablets now attached to the bank. Tablet 1, located on the corner of building at Broad and Church Street, reads: On This Site Stood The Building In Which The Supreme Council, 33°, Ancient And Accepted Scottish Rite Of Freemasonry Was Founded May 31, 1801, A.D., Corresponding To Sivan 19, 5561 A.M.  Solomon's Lodge No. 1, Ancient Freemasons Chartered By The Grand Lodge Of England 1735 Was Organized On This Site, October 28, 1736. Tablet 2, located at the corner on Church Street, has two plaques, one above the other. The first plaque (pictured at right) reads: The Grand Lodge Of Ancient Freemasons Of South Carolina Organized before August 18,1737, this Grand Lodge met in Charles Shepheard's Tavern, an early meeting Place of the colony, once Located on this corner. Erected by the Grand Lodge of Ancient Freemasons of S.C. 1987 Plaque two, located under plaque one, reads as follows: At This Northeast Corner Of This Building William A. Giles Grand Master Ancient Free masons Laid The Corner Stone On This Building November 24th, 1928 Tablet 3, located on the back corner of the building, is a cornerstone. It reads: W.A. Giles  Grand Master Of Masons A.D. 1928–A.L. 5928      Whenever Freemasons, especially Scottish Rite Brothers, are near the corner of Church and Broad Streets in downtown Charleston, they owe it to themselves to visit this historic location. While walking around the neighborhood, visit St. Michael's  and St. Philip's Church as the founding "Eleven Gentlemen of Charleston," the founders of the Supreme Council, did when they lived there in 1801.      An appropriate monument has been approved by Bank officials to be installed on the corner in front of the bank.  A commemorative ceremony will occur there on Tuesday, October 2, 2001, during the Biennial.

Reprinted with permission of the Scottish Rite Journal, June 1999

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