Category archive
for History

The forgotten history of Prince Hall Masonry’s brief Filipino lodge boom—and long decline—in California.

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

Since its founding in 1850, California Masonry has had a profound influence on the state we call home.

Mapping San Francisco’s historic—and current—Masonic meeting places.

Hiding in plain sight on one of the city’s busiest blocks, the Mission Masonic Temple is a living link to the area’s wild and wooly past.

For more than a century, Fidelity No. 120 was home to a robust Jewish membership.

Four San Francisco Masonic landmarks of yesteryear get a new lease on life.

The Prince Hall Apartments, built by the fraternal order during San Francisco’s urban renewal, are a testament to the city’s black history.

With his Jazz Age flair, architect Timothy Pflueger brought a signature style to San Francisco’s skyline.

Throughout San Francisco, street names share subtle reminders of a fraternal past.

The influential artists Arthur and Lucia Mathews once designed the interior of the Grand Lodge Temple. So where’s all their artwork gone?

Masonic remains from the 1906 earthquake recall San Francisco’s darkest days—and its rebirth.

Researchers hope to uncover local history within the small Gold Rush-era Jamestown Masonic Cemetery.

In Berkeley, a new group is reviving an old-school idea.

A Masonic delegation retraces historic footsteps.

A new exhibition in San Diego spotlights Negro League pioneers, thanks to a gift from the Masons of California.

Behind the terra-cotta tiles of the arts and crafts, a Masonic influence.

The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum in San Jose is a testament to a curious fraternal relative of Freemasonry.

The Masonic funeral rite unites Masons and their loved ones in a shared community of symbolism and fraternity.

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

Last fall, the Vatican once a gain reiterated its position on Freemasonry—one that’s caused confusion for 300 years.

The forget-me-not is a Masonic symbol of brotherhood, sacrifice, and remembrance.

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

How a century-old Masonic lodge boom is still reverberating today.

A new exhibition explains the groundbreaking illustrations in a 300-year-old manuscript.

During WWI, the Masonic Ambulance Corps was a grassroots effort by Masonic volunteers who were passionate to serve their country.

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

For centuries, Saint John the Baptist and Saint John the Evangelist have been the patron saints of Freemasonry. But why?

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

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

This June, the Masonic Homes of California celebrates its sesquicentennial—and reflects on its next chapter of life.

Examining the divisive issue of religion that’s unified the fraternity.

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

Fraternal societies like the Freemasons were born out of ancient, operative trade guilds. They weren’t the only ones.

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.

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