‘Black history is American history’: Restoration efforts underway on Masonic lodge built by formerly enslaved

SNOOK, Texas (KBTX) – A Masonic lodge built by formerly enslaved people in Snook is being restored after receiving grant funding from organizations like Preservation Texas.

The lodge was the cornerstone of the Dabney Hill Freedom Colony, a settlement of formerly enslaved people established in 1887. The Ethiopian Star Lodge #308 was constructed in 1908.

A descendant of those who built the lodge and surrounding settlement is leading its restoration efforts.

“The dignity of the men, I respect them so much because they crafted these buildings with their hands and they made such sacrifices that I’m not having to make, so I feel that I must,” Gloria Smith said.

Gloria wanted to learn more about her family’s history. That search led her to the Dabney Hill Freedom Colony. She said stepping foot in the settlement for the first time was “surreal.”

“Growing up, I always said ‘I want to do like my friends do in my elementary years. They would always go down home,’” she said.

She went to her mother, who told her there wasn’t a “down home” for her to go to.

“Then I started doing the research, and that’s when I found out I did in fact have a down home,” Gloria said.

Restoring the lodge, and preserving the history embedded in it, is a calling for her.

“It’s been waiting all these years, decades, for someone to pay attention to it,” she added.

The first step of the restoration process is stabilizing and weatherproofing the century-old building to prevent any further damage. A $75,000 grant from Preservation Texas’s Rural African American Heritage program is funding it.

“These rural lodge buildings are endangered, they’re rare, but they tell a very important part of the story of African American history in the state. And so we thought that this was very deserving of the funding and absolutely needs to be stabilized,” Conor Herterich with Preservation Texas said.

It’s part of African American history architect Donna Carter said is often overlooked.

“People got married here. Babies were born here. People loved here,” she said, “It’s not just struggle. It’s not just slavery. Those are important and we need to remember but there were, there were good times as well.”

Donna’s firm specializes in restoration, and she’s ready to breathe new life into the historic building.

“It is actually something very special in Texas and some other rural areas where people can trace their roots back to land and say, ‘This is where my family is from,’” she said.

They hope to eventually get the Dabney Hill Freedom Colony listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There is a highway marker on Highway 60 that was dedicated last year.

Board member Jamonica Jackson said it’s about more than just preserving the building, it’s preserving a part of Snook’s history for generations to come.

“Our ancestors went through so much and for us not to step up and do something to save what they started. I just think that it’s something that we should do,” she said.

Gloria called the process a “labor of love.” She hopes to see the site become a space for the community to gather and learn about the area’s history.

“I believe that Black history is not just Black history. Although this is Black History Month, Black history is American history.”