Paxton History Tour Sites
Thank you for your interest in Paxton's rich history. This page is maintained by the Paxton Chamber of Commerce. To learn more about the 24 selected historic sites around our community, you can either browse this website or preferably visit the site in person and, using the camera on your phone, scan the QR code, which will be displayed at most sites. Each QR code link will bring up a brief history of the site and several pictures. Our goal is to continue to improve this project by adding more historic sites, pictures and information.
Almost all of the QR codes are up around Paxton now!
See map below for locations of QR Codes
The third floor of the Commandery Building houses the Masonic organizations.
Mt. Olivet Commandery Building
During the spring of 1885 the question of building a Masonic temple was brought before the commandery. A committee consisting of Sir Knights J. P. Middlecoff, C. M. Taylor, George Grove and J. Y. Campbell were appointed to investigate and to report as to the cost of a suitable building. At a private meeting they reported plans and estimates. It was voted to build and a building committee was created with the power to make contracts, sell bonds, pay out money, etc., in the name of the commandery.
In June, 1885, the ground was broken and the building progressed as rapidly as possible and was finally completed at the cost of about twenty thousand dollars. The corner stone of the Masonic block, a large three-story building on the corner of Market and State streets, was laid on July 30, 1885.
In 1889 the commandery directed the trustees to sell all of the building below the third story reserving a perpetual right of entering and exiting to the third story, which was done.
Mt. Olivet Commandery, No. 38, K. T.
In 1870, the first charter of the Masonic Lodge was formed and was constituted the following year.
May 9, 1870, Charles Edward Munger, grand commander, granted a plan for this commander to the following named Sir Knights: Solomon Jacob Toy, Charles Henry Hawley, Joshua Eaton Davis, Benjamin Franklin Mason, Allen Shepardson, Julius Wallace Scott, Thomas Evan Barnhouse, Wilson Hoag, and George Jeremiah Shepardson.
First private meeting conclave was held on the 5th of August, in J. W. Scott’s Hall. This building with several others was destroyed by fire in October 1874.
October 21, 1870, Solomon Jacob Toy, E. C., conferred the orders on Jonathan Penn Middlecoff, Norman Edmund Stevens, Ransom Reed Murdock, Tufve S. Johnson, William Lewis, and Finley McClellan Hall.
Date of charter was October 26, 1870 and was constituted on January 25, 1871, by Eminent Sir Francis Granger Jaques acting as proxy for the grand commander of the Grand Commandery of the State of Illinois.
The first floor was retail shops. The north side of the building was a hardware store for many years, One of the long time owners was Albert Froyd. The south side of the building was mainly a clothing store. Laybourns's Clothing was a busy store here for decades.
The building was sold to John and Jeff Grove in 2021.
