Lodge History

 In the 1800's all the land west of the city of Edmonton was unofficially called "Stoney Plain" having received its name from the early inhabitants who lived in the surrounding area, the Stoney Indians.

 In 1905 the Canadian Northern Railway was constructed from Edmonton to the present site of the town of Stony Plain where a railway station was built. In 1908 the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway Company commenced construction of their railway from Edmonton to Prince Rupert, British Columbia, passing through the town of Stony Plain.

 With a population of about 500 people there were a number of Freemasons in and around the town of Stony Plain who belonged to various Lodges in different parts of the world. Much of the early history of Meridian Masonic Lodge Number 129 in Stony Plain starts with Pryce Jones, who joined Meridian Masonic Lodge Number 83 in Macklin, Saskatchewan in 1911 prior to moving to Stony Plain.

 Upon his arrival in Stony Plain, Brother Jones immediately affiliated with Strathcona Lodge #77 in Edmonton, the closest Lodge. With a keen interest in forming a new Lodge, meetings were held and an application was made to the Grand Lodge of Alberta for dispensation with Strathcona Lodge  #77 as its mother Lodge.

 On July 15th, 1921 an institutional meeting was held and Meridian Lodge #129 had its beginning with 52 members and visitors present to witness the grand occasion. It wasn't until September 9th, 1953 that the Lodge was able to hold their first meeting in their own building.

 Some of the furniture of the Lodge has been donated from other Lodges and has added greatly to the uniqueness of Meridian. As an example the two ashlars were presented to Meridian Lodge and are of the same material that was being used in the construction of the Edmonton Masonic Hall in 1930.

 Meridian Lodge is the mother Lodge of Onoway #138, Drayton Valley #182 and Baseline #198 in Spruce Grove.

 As in every organization it is the people that make the difference and Meridian Lodge is no exception. A prime example of this quality is reflected when in 1932 Thomas Graden Sr. became a member of Meridian Lodge followed through the years by four of his sons and one grandson. Meridian Lodge has provided an educational scholarship award to a student of Memorial Composite High School in Stony Plain since 1985. In the fall of 1937 the members of Meridian Lodge were instrumental in procuring a railway car load of vegetables and sending them to the people of southern Alberta to provide relief to those who had suffered crop losses due to the severe drought that had occurred.

 Meridian Lodge celebrated its 25th anniversary on July 15th, 1946, its 50th on September 18th, 1971 and its 75th on the September 21st, 1996 and is looking forward in anticipation to its 100th in 2021.