King David Lodge No. 407, A.F. & A.M., has been part of Altoona’s story since the late 19th century. King David Lodge was established on June 19, 1881, with Thomas Haines serving as the first Worshipful Master for the lodge’s first three years.
By the 1890s the lodge was already a well-established part of Iowa Masonry. Records of prominent brethren show men affiliating with King David Lodge in Altoona as early as 1890, and one such member, William Hugh Avise, later served as Worshipful Master in 1899. These references in wider Masonic publications confirm that King David Lodge No. 407 was active and contributing to the Craft well over a century ago.
Through the 20th century, King David Lodge continued to meet in Altoona in at least 2 separate locations, and take part in the life of the community. Mid-century Masonic newsletters mention brothers being raised and serving there, pointing to a stable, working lodge with a steady line of officers, longtime members, past masters, and a new Worshipful Master has served every year with no repeats since 1968 and only 15 masters served multiple years in the history since 1881. County records show King David Lodge No. 407 associated with its current property at 707 8th Street SE in Altoona by 1971, marking the era when the lodge settled into the home most members know today.
The lodge has also played an important role in Masonic youth work. Since 1967, Altoona DeMolay Chapter has been sponsored by King David Lodge No. 407, giving young men in the area a place to learn leadership, service, and Masonic values under the lodge’s guidance. Since 2022, the lodge is also home to a chapter of The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls. In partnership with Eastern Star and other appendant bodies, the lodge has helped maintain a strong Masonic family presence in the community into the 21st century.
In more recent years, King David Lodge has become well known around Altoona for its public events and charity work: cow-pasture golf outings, pancake breakfasts, chili cookoff supporting our police and fire departments, and other fund-raisers have supported local causes and brought friends and neighbors into contact with the lodge. The lodge’s commitment to excellence was recognized when King David Lodge No. 407 in Altoona has been honored numerous times as “Lodge of the Year by the Grand Lodge of Iowa”
Today, King David Lodge No. 407 continues to meet on the second Wednesday of every month, working under the Grand Lodge of Iowa and maintaining an active officer line and membership. True to the principles of Freemasonry—brotherly love, relief, and truth—the lodge remains dedicated to “making good men better” and serving Altoona through fellowship, charity, and community involvement.
Lodge Past Masters
| Year(s) | PastMaster |
| 1881-83 | Thomas E. Haines |
| 1884-85 | James 0. Porter |
| 1886-90 | Edward R. Witter |
| 1891-92 | Louis O. Shaffer |
| 1893 | Thomas E. Haines |
| 1894-95 | Philip Yant |
| 1896-97 | William J. Combs |
| 1898 | J.V.A. Mason |
| 1899-1900 | William H. Avise |
| 1901-03 | C.C. Lang |
| 1904-05 | Arthur Strain |
| 1906 | J.V.A. Mason |
| 1907 | Philip Yant |
| 1908-09 | George W. Heller |
| 1910-13 | Norman B. Shaffer |
| 1914 | Pirl E. Jeffers |
| 1915-16 | Carl W. Altman |
| 1917 | George L. Shultice |
| 1918 | Frank L. Scott |
| 1919 | Roy E. Reid |
| 1920 | Frank L. Johnson |
| 1921 | John S. Freeburn |
| 1922 | William M. Yoders |
| 1923-24 | Victor M. Henney |
| 1925 | Neil E. Kelley |
| 1926 | Byron Delaney |
| 1927 | Clinton A. Bane |
| 1928 | Arlo A. Pace |
| 1929 | W. Forrest Yoders |
| 1930 | Carl Manbeck |
| 1931 | Clyde A. Smith |
| 1932 | William L. Garber |
| 1933 | Frank Barton |
| 1934 | Aldon M. Peterson |
| 1935 | LeRoy M. Bane |
| 1936 | Howard E. Barton |
| 1937 | Hugh L. Barton |
| 1938 | Ernest McIntosh |
| 1939 | Roy F. Davis |
| 1940 | Joe C. Smay |
| 1941 | Bluford E. Caseltine |
| 1942 | Bernard E. Newell |
| 1943 | Bruce O. Strain |
| 1944 | Vern M. Strain |
| 1945 | S. Maurice Hickman |
| 1946 | Guy M. Mendenhall |
| 1947 | Lawrence K. Thomsen |
| 1948 | Stanley W. Champion |
| 1949 | Charles O. Stonier |
| 1950 | L.E. Doyle Champion |
| 1951 | Norman C. Miller |
| 1952 | Rolland A. Strain |
| 1953 | Worth W. Champion |
| 1954 | Virgil C. Webb |
| 1955 | L. Thurman Clark |
| 1956 | Everett A. Mauch |
| 1957 | Howard Hamm |
| 1958 | William R. bailey |
| 1959 | Harold A. Hammer |
| 1960 | Gordon B. Duffield |
| 1961 | Harold G. Barton |
| 1962 | James E. Blaney |
| 1963 | D. Dean Johnson |
| 1964 | David A. Duthie |
| 1965 | Verne J. McClain |
| 1966 | James E Stoker |
| 1967-68 | Heath Boyd |
| 1969 | Jerry Hickok |
| 1969 | Everett A. Mauch |
| 1970 | Robert W. Thompson |
| 1971 | Carl V. Neilsen |
| 1972 | Kendall Mauch |
| 1973 | John J. Fry |
| 1974 | Leo P. Griffieon |
| 1975 | Guy C. Willson, Jr. |
| 1976 | Kenneth D. Shineflew |
| 1977 | Henry T. Schmidt |
| 1978 | Donald C. Timmins |
| 1979 | W. Gano Sterns |
| 1980 | Ronald D. Schuety |
| 1981 | Dennis P. Day |
| 1982 | Ted Griffieon |
| 1983 | Lowell Wagoner |
| 1984 | James Rork |
| 1985 | Ray Thompson |
| 1986 | Donald Johnson |
| 1987 | Dan Willson |
| 1988 | Dell Lewis |
| 1989 | Robert Bryant |
| 1990 | Tom Zike, Jr. |
| 1991 | Terry L. Voy |
| 1992 | Steven E. Kellerhals |
| 1993 | Paul C. Richter |
| 1994 | Charles Sigmund |
| 1995 | August R. Hinnenkamp |
| 1996 | John Tinker |
| 1997 | Raymond Garland |
| 1998 | Danny Middleton |
| 1999 | Don MacKenzie |
| 2000 | Joe Fisher |
| 2001 | Brian Dillavou |
| 2002 | Glen Shaefer |
| 2003 | Steve Palmer |
| 2004 | Donald R. Sardeson |
| 2005 | Norman E. Johnson |
| 2006 | R. Mike Hamilton |
| 2007 | Anthony Palmer |
| 2008 | Marion Klaver |
| 2009 | Craig A. Long |
| 2010 | Roy Slootheer |
| 2011 | Bruce Mellody |
| 2012 | Troy Jennings |
| 2013 | Jeremy C. Long |
| 2014 | Jamie Willey |
| 2015 | Cody Kesling |
| 2016 | Michael “JB” Johnson |
| 2017 | Adam J. Jones |
| 2018 | Scott M. Wheeler |
| 2019 | Ronald D Armbrest |
| 2020 | Randy Halferty |
| 2021 | Steven Rokey |
| 2022 | Cole Heitman |
| 2023 | Johnathan Freel |
| 2024 | Chad Willey |
| 2025 | Antonio Collins |