Laurel Street neighbor Charles Pool continues to document Tredegar.

Many Oregon Hill residents entered through the large door to work in the huge Tredegar foundry. Over the door is a keystone plaque with the date 1861 and the letters “HTWSSTKS.”

Some might wonder if these letters were initials of the Tredegar founders or workers. In fact, the plaque is a Masonic symbol, and the letters stand for “Hiram, Tyrian, Widow’s Son, Sent to King Solomon.” According to historian Tui Snider, Hiram was chief architect for the Temple of King Solomon. When bad guys tried to squeeze the secret masonic passwords out of Hiram, he valiantly refused to tell them. As a result, the bad guys killed poor Hiram. In Masonic teachings, Hiram’s story is held up as an example of Masonic loyalty.

The G at the center of the plaque may stand for God.