Helena in Lewis and Clark County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Montana
Helena Historic District
Photographed By Barry Swackhamer, July 15, 2021
1. Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Montana Marker
Inscription.
Grand Lodge A.F. and A.M. of Montana. Helena Historic District. Meriwether Lewis’s Masonic apron and an O. C. Seltzer mural depicting the first Masonic meeting in Montana are among the treasures displayed in “the home of Montana Masonry.” A dynamic political and social force since early territorial days, the Masons founded the Grand Lodge in Virginia City in 1866. Headquarters moved to Helena by 1868. After a catastrophic 1874 fire, Cornelius Hedges, then grand secretary, warned that the lodge needed a “more stable and commodious office than [my] coattails.” It took more than sixty years for Hedges’ vision to materialize, but in 1935 the lodge retained architect and Master Mason Chandler Cohagen of Billings to design a building to hold its increasingly significant collection of books, photographs, and artifacts. Carved Masonic symbols ornament the windows and doors of the resulting Art Moderne museum, whose horizontal massing, smooth finish, and restrained detailing reflect the streamlined aesthetic of the 1930s. In 1937, the Masons dedicated their new Grand Lodge, which today continues to house a public museum and the Masons’ state administrative offices.
Meriwether Lewis’s Masonic apron and an O. C. Seltzer mural depicting the first Masonic meeting in Montana are among the treasures displayed in “the home of Montana Masonry.” A dynamic political and social force since early territorial days, the Masons founded the Grand Lodge in Virginia City in 1866. Headquarters moved to Helena by 1868. After a catastrophic 1874 fire, Cornelius Hedges, then grand secretary, warned that the lodge needed a “more stable and commodious office than [my] coattails.” It took more than sixty years for Hedges’ vision to materialize, but in 1935 the lodge retained architect and Master Mason Chandler Cohagen of Billings to design a building to hold its increasingly significant collection of books, photographs, and artifacts. Carved Masonic symbols ornament the windows and doors of the resulting Art Moderne museum, whose horizontal massing, smooth finish, and restrained detailing reflect the streamlined aesthetic of the 1930s. In 1937, the Masons dedicated their new Grand Lodge, which today continues to house a public museum and the Masons’ state administrative offices.
Location. 46° 35.472′ N, 112° 2.398′ W. Marker is in Helena, Montana, in Lewis and Clark County. Marker is on North Park Avenue near West Lawrence Street, on the right when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 425 North Park Avenue, Helena MT 59601, United States of America. Touch for directions.
2. Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Montana Building and Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on December 2, 2021. It was originally submitted on December 2, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 96 times since then and 11 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on December 2, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
