Clifton Museum
7135 Main Street
Clifton Va. 20124
703-830-9036
Operated by:
The Acacia Foundation, Inc.
The museum is operated by The Acacia Foundation, Inc.
The museum has over 130 years of the history of freemasonry in Clifton, and many other historical artifacts of the Town of Clifton.
The Clifton museum is located in the County of Fairfax in the historic town of Clifton Virginia and is one of Clifton's original buildings, an old Saw Mill c.1870's. and was the first building in the town to have electricity. The building has played very impotent roles in the towns history over the past century, Clifton residents, church groups, Clifton Government, homeowner associations and many other groups have use it for meetings, parties, and gatherings. One such special meeting called by Mayor W. Swem Elgin on May 26, 1942 during WWII with Mr. Carper, Chief of the Fairfax County Fire Department and others gave birth to Clifton's first volunteer Fire Department Station 16.
In 1985 the museum building was register with the United States Department of Interior Park Service, National Register of Historic Places as a Historical Landmark.
In 1903 the Freemasons of Acacia Lodge No. 16 entered into an agreement with Mr. R. C. Hickey to purchase the saw mill on a five year note at a cost of $250 at $14 a year interest through 1908 when $40 was applied to the principal bring the yearly interest rate down to $6 where it remained until early 1920 when an agreement was reached with Mr. R C. Hickey to exchange lots for one more convenient on Main Street and abolish the debt of $100 still owed on the Deed of Trust. The museum was moved to its’ present site in June 1920 at a cost of $130 and the final transaction of acquiring the Deed took place on July 18, 1921 going beyond it’s original 5 year time to 18 years.
On March 19, 1971 a 20x25 foot parcel on land adjoining its current property was purchased from Theodore E. Namey for the cost of $5, this is were are Well is.
About 1921 electrically was installed with the help of Mr. R. E. Simpson, General Manager of the Southern Railroad. Also eliminate the steps outside and move them inside, and later the main entrance was moved to the center front side of the museum facing Main Street, as it is today.
