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Meet the Builders of California’s Newest Masonic Lodges

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A spate of new Masonic lodges have gone up across the state in recent years. What they are building is reshaping the landscape of California Masonry.

For Two Grand Masters, an Opportunity to Build Bridges Between Masons

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Prince Hall Grand Master David San Juan and G. Sean Metroka of the Grand Lodge of California on deepening an important Masonic partnership.

Prince Hall: America’s Masonic Father Figure

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Largely overlooked by historians, Prince Hall remains a towering figure of both Masonic history—and American history writ large.

At La France No. 885, a Lodge of Bon Vivants

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At La France No. 885, a longstanding legacy of French Freemasonry in California is being carried into the future.

The Heroes of Masonry: They Wear Aprons, Not Capes

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Celebrating the best and brightest of Freemasonry in California.

The Exemplars: Meet the 2024 California Masons of the Year

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Dennis Caoile and Henry Dosdorian, the 2024 Masons of the Year, demonstrate that the common denominator of Freemasonry is service to others.

Stephen Doan: The Mastermind

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In a capstone to a remarkable life and career in Freemasonry, R. Stephen Doan is the 2024 Recipient of the Grand Master’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

At Oakland No. 61, a Commitment to Outreach

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At Oakland No. 61, a phone-banking effort helped establish the lodge as one of Masonic Outreach Services’ best local partners.

When It Comes to the Masonic Youth Orders, They’re Super Dads

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The 2024 Youth Support Award recipients show that when it comes to the Masonic youth orders, you get more than you give.

California’s Masonic Lodge Neighbors Are Better Together

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Across the state, California Masons are reaching out across lodge lines.

California Prince Hall Masonry: A State of Belonging

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Founded in the 1850s and still active today, the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of California is building on a proud history.

Paying Homage to a Masonic Hero at Rizal No. 882

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At Gat Rizal No. 882 in Menifee, California, a Masonic lodge takes its name—and inspiration—from a national hero of the Philippines.

At Oakland No. 61, Something Old Meets Something New

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At Oakland No. 61, two historic East Bay groups dating from the 1800s are teaming up to form a new kind of Masonic lodge.

At Logos No. 861, a Culture of Craftsmanship

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At Logos No. 861 in San Francisco, handmade, lovingly crafted material culture is part of the very fabric of the lodge.

In Masonry and Politics, Finding Common Ground

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The political fights of daily life are conspicuously absent from the Masonic lodge. Can those lessons be practiced in the outside world?

His Grandfather Was Canceled. His Grandmother Was a Hero

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When a monument to his grandfather came under newfound scrutiny, Julius Kahn used the opportunity to shine a light on a lesser-known familial legacy: Florence Prag Kahn.

Is It Manly to Talk About Politics, Religion, and Money?

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Politics, religion, and money: An expert on “manliness” explains how to discuss these tricky topics.

The Masonic Homes at 125: An Ever-Changing Haven

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The Masonic Homes of California evolved from a 19th century widows and orphans home into an innovative apparatus of care and relief.

New Masonic Homes CEO Terry Quigley: “We’re Standing On A Lot of History Here”

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For new CEO Terry Quigley, there’s a solid foundation—and amazing potential—at the Masonic Homes of California.

In Masonry and Magic, Blending Illusion and Wonder

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For generations, the world’s greatest magicians have found a second home in Masonry. Why have Masonry and magic shared such a close connection?

How Richard Potter Vanished From History

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For 200 years, magician Richard Potter—once the most famous performer in America, and a Prince Hall Mason—has kept the public guessing.

The Brotherhood of Famous Mason-Magicians

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Meet the experts of two crafts: Exploring the hallowed roster of famous master Mason-magicians, from Harry Houdini to Lee Grabel.

Masonic Rebirth Is an Infinite Loop

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The story of Freemasonry is one of death and rebirth. As recent events show, when it comes to California Masonry, what’s old is new again.

The Unique Charms of California’s Small-Town Masonry

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From Ferndale to Big Bear, California’s small-town Masonic lodges have their own unique character—and offer a model for community involvement.

At the California Masonic Memorial Temple, a Community Treasure

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For 64 years, the California Masonic Memorial Temple in San Francisco has been the home of the Masons of California. But it’s so much more.

Emile Norman’s Endomosaic: A Window of Wonder

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Artist Emile Norman never became a household name. But his massive artwork remains a treasure of California Freemasonry in San Francisco.

In Freemasons’ Hall, What’s Old is New Again

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At Freemasons’ Hall, inside the Grand Lodge of California temple in San Francisco, the past and future of Masonic lodge rooms collide.

In Yucca Valley, an Art-Making, Skateboarding Mason

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A skateboarding Mason and installation artist at Yucca Valley No. 802 is shredding perceptions about Freemasonry.

Neighbors, Friends, Hermanos: Freemasonry in Mexico Today

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A history-spanning, forward-looking celebration of the fraternal and cultural connections between California and Mexican Freemasonry.

In California’s Spanish-Speaking Lodges, a Masonic Culture Club

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For members of California’s two official Spanish-speaking Masonic lodges, the sense of brotherhood is twice as strong.

Latin America’s Masonic Liberators

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In the revolutionary movements of Latin America, Central America, and South America, Freemasons were front and center.

Freemasonry in Brazil: When Masonry Went Pop

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In the past two decades, the number of Freemasons in Brazil has practically exploded. Inside a cultural and fraternal phenomenon.

The Famous Masonic ‘Traveling Trowel Train’ to Mexico of 1909

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In 1909, a special delegation of California Masons set for Mexico City to deliver a world-famous Masonic traveling “Unity” trowel.

Hammer, Sickle, Square, Compass: Freemasonry in Cuba

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A road trip through Cuba reveals a thriving—and colorful—Masonic community full of eye-catching Masonic lodges.

The Latin America-to-California Masonic Connection

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Meet a group of California Masons who also belong to Masonic lodges in their home countries in Latin America.

The Rite Stuff: The Many Masonic Rituals of Latin America

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From Mexico to Argentina, Latin American countries embody a wide range of Masonic rituals, from the familiar to the highly esoteric.