ˈoʊvɚtən lˈɑːdʒ wʌz wˈʌn ʌvðə fjˈuː lˈɑːdʒᵻz ɪnðə stˈeɪt tə ɹᵻmˈeɪn ˈæktɪv dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ˈiːtʃ jˈɪɹ ʌvðɪ ɐmˈɛɹɪkən sˈɪvəl wˈɔːɹ, ænd ɪɾ ɪz baɪ vˈɜːtʃuː ʌv ðɪs dɪstˈɪŋkʃən ðæt ˈoʊvɚtən mˈeɪ klˈeɪm təbi ðɪ ˈoʊldɪst, kəntˈɪnjuːəsliˈɑːpɚɹˌeɪɾᵻd lˈɑːdʒ ɪnðə stˈeɪt: ˈɔːl fˈoːɹ ʌvðɪ ˈoʊldɚ lˈɑːdʒᵻz, ɪŋklˈuːdɪŋ ðə kˈɜːɹəntli ɛkstˈænt ɡɹˈiːnvɪl lˈɑːdʒ nˈoʊ. θɹˈiː, hæd ðɛɹ tʃˈɑːɹɾɚz ɹᵻvˈoʊkt ɔːɹ hæv sˈɪns ɡɔn dᵻfˈʌŋkt.
Overton Lodge was one of the few Lodges in the State to remain active during each year of the American Civil War, and it is by virtue of this distinction that Overton may claim to be the oldest, continuously-operated lodge in the State: all four of the older Lodges, including the currently extant Greeneville Lodge No. 3, had their charters revoked or have since gone defunct.