Sojourners Lodge was founded in 1917 for Masons sojourning to Detroit. A group of Masons from jurisdictions other than the Grand Lodge of Michigan, some sojourning in Detroit and others residing here, met to form a lodge. Most of them were looking for jobs in the automobile industry, and many ended up working at Ford Motor Company. They felt there was a need for a Lodge for sojourning and traveling Masons in Detroit. The members resolved to keep the Lodge a small one so that the maximum of friendship and Brotherhood might prevail. The Grand Lodge of Michigan issued a Dispensation on January 4, 1917 to this little group to temporarily practice their Masonry. The first meeting under dispensation was on January 18, 1917. Then on April 26, 1917 they raised their first Master Mason. On June 22, 1917 MWGM Ferris dedicated and consecrated Sojourners Lodge No. 483 and issued our charter.

Sojourners Lodge was first housed in the Masonic Temple at the corner of Lafayette and First Streets.. It is interesting to note that the Lafayette Temple was completely inadequate in less than 20 years. The Temple was seven stories tall and was dedicated and opened in 1895. Sojourners Lodge bought property on Twelve Street north of West Grand Blvd. and we had plans drawn up to build a Sojourners Masonic Temple. We later sold the property before building our own temple and joined the fraternity in building the world's largest Masonic Temple at 500 Temple Ave.

The charter members were:

Walter M. Roger, Clifford J. Stinelower, William F. Keller, Charles L. Higgs,
Melville W. McManus, Oscar J. Carr, Earl D. Burke, Arthus K. Morse,Lorne W. Weber, Hugo J. Hesse, Earl S. Mitchell, Charles H. Grinnell, Ernest E. Woodward, Robert V.Eley,
Blaine T. Coleman and Earl A. Ranney.