In 1884 Decatur Lodge was organized and placed under dispensation of the Most Worshipful African Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Iowa. Their first officers were: Freeman Howell, W.M., Charles Ross, S.W., Charles Curtain, J.W., Ed Sutton, Treasurer, N.J. Davis, Secretary.

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At their Fourth Annual Communication convening on July 14, 1885 in St. Paul, Minnesota the Committee on Dispensations and charters recommended Decatur receive its charter and the lodge be assigned No. 13.

July 12th, 1887, at three o’clock in the afternoon, as a part of African Grand Lodge, Decatur joined the other 12 lodges and 7 from Hiram Grand Lodge, met in the Hall of North Star Lodge in Des Moines, Iowa. A resolution was made to unite and form the United Grand Lodge of Iowa, A.F. & A.M. on July 13, 1887. The vote for the resolution was 58 for and 53 against. On Thursday, July 14, 1887, George H. Cleggett was elected as the first Grand Master. Both Grand Lodges dissolved their old Grand Lodge names on this date and took the new name of The Most Worshipful United Grand Lodge of Iowa A.F. & A.M.

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At the Sixteenth Annual communication of the Most Worshipful United Grand Lodge A.F.&A.M of Iowa, convening on July 14, 1903 in Des Moines, Iowa Decatur Lodge No. 13 was granted permission to change its number to 14, originally held by anchor Lodge of Minneapolis.

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The Thirty-Fourth Annual Communication convening on July 11, 1921 marked the first time in the history of Iowa Masons that the Grand Lodge met there.