Mapping California's Lodge Deserts

Plotting California's Masonic expansion

By Ian A. Stewart

Around the world, in countries with a significant Masonic tradition, there’s a basic arithmetic to starting a new lodge. In general, a single lodge can support a population of about 75,000 people. That idea is top of mind now, with a flood of new prospects approaching California lodges. Here, the Grand Lodge’s New Lodge Development team gives us a sneak preview of the areas they’re targeting for growth.

1. Rancho Cucamonga

Population: 176,000
Nearest Lodge: Upland Mt. Baldy № 419

San Bernardino County has a dozen Masonic lodges, but none in Rancho Cucamonga, one of the fastest growing metros in Southern California, making it the third-biggest city in the state without a Masonic lodge.

2. San Clemente

Population: 63,000
Nearest Lodge: Veritas Lodge № 855

The southernmost city in Orange County has been without a lodge since San Clemente № 671 consolidated with Irvine № 841 in 1997.

3. Los Angeles

Population: 3.82 MILLION
Current lodges: Several

A simple numbers game: In Los Angeles, there’s a Masonic lodge for every 477,000 residents. Even though the county already has 74 lodges, statistics suggest it could handle twice that number.

4. Santa Ana

Population: 308,189
NEAREST LODGE: Orange Grove № 293 (3.7 MILES)

The second-biggest city in Orange County is the largest town in the state without a Masonic lodge, ever since Silver Cord № 505 merged with Garden Grove № 586 (now № 351) in 1990.

5. Berkeley

Population: 123,562
Nearest Lodge: Oakland № 61

There have been no shortage of Masonic lodges in Berkeley over the years, including Durant № 268, which existed for a century from 1883 until consolidating into Oakland-Rockridge № 188 in 1985 (now Oakland № 61). With the annual International Conference on Freemasonry now held biennially in town, there has been interest in forming a lodge just west of campus.

6. Walnut Creek

Population: 68,969
Nearest Lodge: Acalanes Fellowship № 480 (5.3 Miles)

In the time since the former Alamo № 122 stopped meeting at Locust Street and Mt. Diablo in 1998, Walnut Creek has transformed from one of the quintessentially sleepy suburbs of the East Bay into a dynamic shopping, dining, and entertainment center, making it an ideal spot for a Masonic comeback.

7. Los Molinos

Population: 1,649
NEAREST LODGE: Vesper № 84 (16 MILES)

There’s already a Masonic hall in the small, rural town of Los Molinos, currently owned by Vesper № 84 in Red Bluff. Plans are now afoot to develop a new Spanish-speaking lodge there to serve the 48 percent of residents of Hispanic descent.

Infographic by:
Terrence K. Teo