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.
A new pilot program aims to archive the records of California’s extinct Masonic lodges.
Founded in the 1850s and still active today, the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of California is building on a proud history.
The most frequently asked questions about the historic branch of the fraternity.
Last fall, the Vatican once a gain reiterated its position on Freemasonry—one that’s caused confusion for 300 years.
At Logos No. 861 in San Francisco, handmade, lovingly crafted material culture is part of the very fabric of the lodge.
The forget-me-not is a Masonic symbol of brotherhood, sacrifice, and remembrance.
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.
An archival Masonic baseball jersey reveals a colorful American history of Freemasonry, lodges, and baseball.
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.
Meet the experts of two crafts: Exploring the hallowed roster of famous master Mason-magicians, from Harry Houdini to Lee Grabel.
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.
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.
At Freemasons’ Hall, inside the Grand Lodge of California temple in San Francisco, the past and future of Masonic lodge rooms collide.
The Siminoff Temple at the Masonic Homes of California has a history going back over a century.
For the select group of Masonic father-and-son combos, the Lewis Degree is a special ceremony binding generations of Masons.
There’s no missing the massive, Egyptian-inspired wall art known as the Raj Mahal, executed by Mason artist Raj Champieri, at Downey United No. 220.
These colorful Masonic destinations are on the must-see list of every Masonic traveler and admirer of the craft.
In the revolutionary movements of Latin America, Central America, and South America, Freemasons were front and center.
In 1909, a special delegation of California Masons set for Mexico City to deliver a world-famous Masonic traveling “Unity” trowel.
From Mexico to Argentina, Latin American countries embody a wide range of Masonic rituals, from the familiar to the highly esoteric.
150 years after he first proposed the San Francisco Bay Bridge, the legendary eccentric and Freemason Emperor Norton may finally get his due.
Freemasonry offers a framework to living a better life. That’s why it holds so many lessons for confronting death—and whatever comes next.
In rural Tuolumne County, a new effort to bring a pair of Gold Rush era Masonic cemeteries back to life.
Buried among the rocks and rubble of San Francisco’s Aquatic Park breakwater, a reminder of a long-lost Masonic graveyard.
