Virginia City in Madison County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Site of First Masonic Meetings
Photographed By Trev Meed, July 26, 2014
1. Site of First Masonic Meetings Marker
Wherein
Virginia City Lodge No. 43
Of Kansas
And
Montana Lodge No. 9
Of Colorado
Held Their First Meetings.
Virginia City Lodge
Held Its First Meeting
February 27th, AL. 5864.
Montana Lodge
Held Its First Meeting
May 30th, AL. 5865.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Fraternal or Sororal Organizations. A significant historical year for this entry is 1864.
Location. 45° 17.597′ N, 111° 56.841′ W. Marker is in Virginia City, Montana, in Madison County. Marker can be reached from Wallace Street (State Highway 287) 0.1 miles west of Jackson Street. Hidden in a brushy alley area. This marker was hard to find. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Virginia City MT 59755, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. J.B. LaBeau, Jeweler (a few steps from this marker); G. Goldberg Store (a few steps from this marker); Kiskadden’s Stone Block (a few steps from this marker); Grub Stake (a few steps from this marker); Strasburger’s Colorado Store (a few steps from this marker); E. L. Smith Store (within shouting distance of this marker); S. R. Buford & Company (within shouting distance of this marker); Kramer Building (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Virginia City.
this page online
Regarding Site of First Masonic Meetings. John Ellingsen presents a history of the Virginia City Masonic Temple, "...in early December, 1863, the Grand Lodge of Kansas, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, granted a dispensation for Virginia City, Idaho Territory, to form Kansas Lodge No. 43. Though granted December 7, 1863, it took until February 1864 for the dispensation to reach isolated Virginia City. Many of the same men who had been hanging the road agents only days before met in solemn dignity on February 27, 1864 at the first Masonic meeting in Montana, held in the Montana Billard Hall, next door west of the present Fairweather Inn.
Note that the years on the marker are indicated in using a Masonic Calendar, with the zero-year of the calendar, Anno Lucis being 4,000 years before the beginning of the Common Era, i.e. 4,000 BCE. Hence the years provided on the marker are 1864 and 1865, respectively.
Photographed By Trev Meed, July 26, 2014
2. Site of First Masonic Meetings Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on March 23, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 9, 2015, by Trev Meed of Round Mountain, Nevada. This page has been viewed 364 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 9, 2015, by Trev Meed of Round Mountain, Nevada. • Syd Whittle was the editor who published this page.
