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. 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.

Erected by Montana Historical

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Society.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Fraternal or Sororal Organizations. In addition, it is included in the Montana National Register Sign Program series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1866.

Location. 46° 35.472′ N, 112° 2.398′ W. Marker is in Helena, Montana, in Lewis and Clark County. It 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.

Regionally, this marker is in andspecifically entral Montana in Gold West Country. It is also in the American Mountain West

and in the Lewis & Clark Corridor.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Federal Reserve Bank (within shouting distance of this marker);

Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Montana Building and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 15, 2021

2. Grand Lodge A.F. & A.M. of Montana Building and Marker

First Unitarian Church (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); YWCA (about 400 feet away); Christmas Gift Evans House (about 400 feet away); Fashion Livery and Boarding Stable (about 500 feet away); Olsen House (about 500 feet away); Federal Building (about 500 feet away); Montana Club (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Helena.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 4, 2024. It was originally submitted on December 2, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 499 times since then and 66 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 2, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.