Category archive
for From the Archives

For California’s Extinct Lodges, Proof of Life

Read More

A new pilot program aims to archive the records of California’s extinct Masonic lodges.

At Logos No. 861, a Culture of Craftsmanship

Read More

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

A Grand Lodge Archives Project Marks a Masonic Paper Trail

Read More

The archived papers of California’s Masonic leaders yield important historical insight into the growth and development of the fraternity.

New Exhibition Shines Light on Past Master’s Jewels

Read More

A new exhibition by the Grand Lodge of California puts past master’s jewels under the spotlight.

The Cheering Section: Masons and Baseball

Read More

An archival Masonic baseball jersey reveals a colorful American history of Freemasonry, lodges, and baseball.

Great Masons: John Whicher

Read More

Longtime Grand Secretary lived the Masonic life—to the very end.

The French Connection

Read More

Check out this 19th century Masonic French antique plate, where east is north and south is west and north is, well, missing! It’s one of the many curiosities housed in the archive of the Grand Lodge, imbued with secret meaning and mystery.

The Masonic Pursuit of Justice

Read More

In celebration of Independence Day, Grand Lodge of California head archivist Joe Evans shares a blue transferware cup plate dated between 1818 and 1836 that suggests Lady Justice a Freemason.

The Portable Masonic Cornerstone Kit

Read More

Yes, they’re gold and silver Masonic flasks. No, they’re not for booze!

Raising the Banner for Brazilian Masonry

Read More

There’s a lot of history wrapped up in one little flag from an obscure Brazilian Masonic lodge. Learn more about it—and other artifacts housed in the Grand Lodge archives—as part of our series on Masonic curios.

Samuel Larison, Freemason and Winemaker

Read More

How one Freemason became a pioneer winemaker for the wine industry and a charter member of Sonoma County’s early Masonic lodge.

How Destiny Chose Walter Wilcox

Read More

A network of Masons assured a young orphan’s future.

Flying Their Colors

Read More

A new exhibition remembers when the Knights Templar came to town.

A Masonic Mystery—in Miniature

Read More

This miniature, golden metal altar—found in the Henry W. Coil Library and Museum of Freemasonry—is undeniably cool. As for what, precisely, it’s for? That’s less clear.

Past, Present

Read More

What one lodge’s mothballed painting tells us about its earliest days

Message on a Bottle

Read More

Pour a draught with these antique Masonic drinking vessels.

They’re Digital, Too

Read More

The fraternity learns to deal with—and thrive in—the Zoom era.

2020 Grand Master’s Proclamations

Read More

Together with the rest of the Grand Family, Grand Master John E. Trauner has announced his administration’s proclamations for the 2020 fraternal year.

Tips For Managing Masonic Records

Read More

Lodges accumulate a mountain of records over the years, in the form of papers, books, artifacts, and photos. The sheer volume can get overwhelming.

Use these guidelines and tools to get rid of the clutter, and to take proper care of your lodge’s important records.

Standing the Test of Time

Read More

The archives of the Henry Wilson Coil Library and Museum of Freemasonry in San Francisco contain more than 100 years’ worth of significant Masonic artifacts.