With the coming of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway to Smithers in 1913, the district was open for opportunities in mining, agriculture, and forestry. However, many young men had left in the fall of 1914 with the beginning of the First World War, but by 1919 the population of Smithers had swollen to nearly six hundred residents. There were 25 to 30 freemasons in the area that came together with the intention of forming a new Masonic Lodge.

Early in 1920 a petition was sent to the Grand Lodge of British Columbia, in Vancouver, requesting permission to form a Masonic Lodge in Smithers, Omineca Lodge. The name was taken from the land region of north central British Columbia, which had a history dating back to the gold rush of 1869 on the Omineca River. The petition was supported by two Masonic lodges from Prince Rupert: Tsimpsean Lodge No. 58, on the 2^nd of April, 1920 and Tyee Lodge No. 66, on the 13^th of April 1920.

At the annual communication of Grand Lodge, the District Deputy Grand Master of District No.11 filed a favourable report on Omineca Lodge U.D. and the statutes of the new lodge were put to a ballot, passed and a charter was granted. In June of 1920, at the annual communication of the Grand Lodge of British Columbia, the new lodge became known as Omineca Lodge U.D.( under dispensation).  The Dispensation for Omineca Lodge was issued September 9, 1920, Instituted October 19, 1920, Warranted June 23, 1921 and Constituted September 24, 1921.  The new lodge became known as Omineca Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons and numbered #92 on the Registry of Grand Lodge of British Columbia.

The first elected Worshipful Master was to be Mr. Allan Kilpatrick who resigned due to a move and a job position change and Mr. Stephen H. Hoskins, the local government agent, was then elected to be the first Worshipful Master. The charter, which is still proudly displayed in the lodge, was presented to forty-six members of Omineca Lodge #92 on the evening of October 19th, 1921. Following the lodge meeting, a ball was held to celebrate the occasion and at midnight a sumptuous dinner was served, all presided over by Worshipful Master Brother Stephen Hoskins.

The third Monday of the month was chosen for the meeting night to coincide with the train schedule from Prince Rupert. At that time several freemasons lived in Evelyn and Hazelton. The lodge found a suitable meeting room in the Community Centre (later the Elks Hall).  This building was torn down in 1954 to make way for the new concrete constructed Federal Building (Post Office and R.C.M. P.) on Main Street.

Some prominent founding members of the lodge were J. Mason Adams, owner of Adams’ Drug Store, and John Gray, local jeweller and watch inspector for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, both also being members of the Smithers Community Band. Ernie Hann, who arrived in Smithers in 1913, was a very active member of the community who joined the lodge and became Worshipful Master in 1945.

Sons and grandsons would follow in their forebears’ footsteps. Oswald Hoskins, son of the first master of the lodge, Stephen Hoskins, became master of the lodge in 1947 and 1954. In 1933, in the depths of the Great Depression, Oswald opened a local Ford dealership called Hoskins Motors which is still in operation today. John Gray’s grandson, Frank Parker, became a Mason and Master of the lodge in 1962 and 1985. Who doesn’t remember hearing Frank’s call on the radio, “This is Ford Country, what are you driving?”

Over the years, many active members of the community, too many to list, became Members and Masters of the Lodge #62. Past-masters represented well-known local family such as Collison, Dockrill, Goodacre and Chaplin.  In 1954 the Lodge followed the Elks to their new hall on Queen Street. The Lodge used an upstairs room for their monthly meetings.

Omineca Masonic Association has over the years owned several different pieces of real estate in Smithers, always with the intent of developing its own lodge hall, however nothing ever transpired until November 1, 1998. The Omineca Masonic Association then purchased a building at 3883 4th Avenue. The building originally was built by the Canadian Reform Church in 1958 and remained a church until 1974.  The building changed hands many times after that being used for a building supply, plumbing supply, flower shop and barber shop before being purchased by Omineca Masonic Association.

Renovations were led by RW Bro. Malcolm Chaplin and all the brethren contributed to the renovations to build a home for Omineca Lodge No. 92.  The official opening was on May 17,1999  and was attended to by MW Bro. Harold C. Nordan, DDGM RW Bro. E.D (Ted) Bobb and               WM W. Bro. Kelly Jones.  (Photo below)

Omineca Lodge #92 has been meeting continuously since 1921 on the 3rd Monday of the month. During the period of COVID-19 meetings continued on a virtual basis.  On the 100^th Anniversary of Omineca Lodge No 92 in September 2021 VW Bro. Murray Chapin celebrates his 50^th anniversary and RW Bro. E.D. (Ted) Bobb celebrates his 48^th Masonic anniversary with Omineca Lodge No. 92.  Both VW Bro. Murray Chaplin and RW Bro. Ted Bob are still active and contribute to Omineca Lodge No.92.

With the passing of the years and a changing society, the Lodge, like other service club organizations, has fewer active members than it once did. However, our Lodge is seeing an increase in membership with young men joining the Lodge in each of the last few years. We foresee that Omineca Lodge No. 92 will still be here when the Lodge celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2121.