Interesting Masonic events or lodges?

[Trufflehound]

Brethren,

I have a question to ask. I have been compiling a list of interesting or relatively unique Masonic events around the country (or even the world, for that matter) that I would like to attend some day. I was wondering if anyone would be able to help my list grow a bit more. A lot of what I have at this point is rather vague, and the list itself is fairly sparse. If something I have listed is incorrect, please let me know. Here is what I have thus far:

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11 of 50states are represented in part

Active (as far as I know)

Alabama

• Fort Gaines Degree Conferral - Mobile Masonic Lodge #40 will be conferring a MM degree at Fort Gaines (located at Dauphin Island) on April 26, 2014. (Information provided by the Grand Lodge F&AM of Alabama)

Connecticut

• New England Mountain Lodge - Moosup Lodge #113 in Moosup, Connecticut holds Lodge up in the mountains each year on or near the Summer Solstice. (Information provided by AugustusMasonicus)

Florida

• Civil War Outdoor Degree - Every October, the members of Amelia Lodge No. 47, perform a Master Mason Outdoor degree at Fort Clinch State Park, in honor of George W. Call, First Worshipful Master of Amelia Lodge No. 47. The degree is performed at Ft Clinch, Fernandina Beach, Florida with a 'Civil War' atmosphere. All Master Masons are welcome to attend this degree. (Information provided by W:. Richard Corcoran)
  • More information can be found at http://www.mastermason.com/amelia/October Degree.htm

Georgia

• Cove Waterfall - An outdoor degree is put on at Cove Waterfall in Jasper, GA. The degree appears to happen in May.
• Rock Quarry - Every year in Georgia, a MM lodge is opened on top of a mountain. This happens around August.
• Sand Pit - Each year in Valdosta, a MM degree is conferred at the Sand Pit. This appears to happen around October. (Information transplanted from http://forum.mastermason.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=8128. It was originally posted by Brother edwmax.)

Louisiana

• The Day the War Stopped - "...each year Feliciana Lodge #31 in St. Francisville, LA puts on a reenactment of the Masonic Funeral service for a Union Soldier by Confederate Soldiers. The event is called 'The Day the War Stopped'." (Information transplanted from http://forum.mastermason.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=8128. It was originally posted by Brother masonic.truths. It appears to happen annually in June.)
  • Official site: http://www.daythewarstopped.net/
• Red Degrees - In New Orleans, Germania #46 and/or O.K. Allen #33 display Red Lodge work of the three degrees. (August time frame?)

Idaho

• Baldy Mountain Degree - Hailey Lodge #16 holds a 3rd Degree on Baldly Mountain around Labor day weekend. (information provided by the Grand Lodge of Idaho)
• Exemplification - Portneuf Lodge # 18 does an exemplification of the 3rd degree in costume, the first weekend in March every year. (information provided by the Grand Lodge of Idaho)
• International Day - Bonners Ferry Lodge #43 (of Idaho) has International Day, working with Creston Lodge #54 (of British Columbia). Both lodges meet and open in one location and close in another with lunch in the middle. (information provided by the Grand Lodge of Idaho)
• Lodge in the Garage - Capital City Lodge #93 holds an annual communication in the garage and a picnic each Spetember. (information provided by the Grand Lodge of Idaho)
• Lodge on the Lake - Capital City Lodge #93 holds opens lodge on the lake and has a picnic in July each year. (information provided by the Grand Lodge of Idaho)
• Silver City Lodge - Silver City Lodge #13 (located in Homedale, Idaho) holds an Annual Meeting and 3rd degree in Silver City, Idaho (an old mining town) the second weekend of July. (information provided by the Grand Lodge of Idaho)

Illinois

• Thanksgiving Degree - Each year, Robinson Masonic Lodge #250 conducts a MM Degree on the morning of Thanksgiving. (information provided by the Grand Lodge of Illinois)
• Outdoor Degree - Every few years, the Widows Sons (Masonic Motorcycle Association) hold an outdoor degree. (information provided by the Grand Lodge of Illinois)
• Colonial Degree - Occasionally, there is a lodge that conducts a "Colonial Degree" in full costume. (no lodge name given) (information provided by the Grand Lodge of Illinois)

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma Masonic Indian Degree Team - These brothers travel to lodges all over the United States and Europe to confer the Master Mason degree. A portion of the degree work is done in Native American dress. The entire experience is said to be impressive.
  • Their Facebook page can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/OklahomaMas...dianDegreeTeam

Oregon

• Crater Lake Outdoor Degree - On the first Saturday of August, Crater Lake Lodge 211 A.F&A.M. (Klamath Falls, OR) puts on an outdoor degree in Crater Lake National Park, permission being granted by executive order of President (M.W.B.) Franklin D Roosevelt (information provided by Brother jdmadsenCraterlake211

Tennessee

• Eblen's Cave Degree - Each year, in Kingston, TN, Union Lodge #38 hosts degree work from all over the United States. This occurs each August. (Information provided by Worshipful Brother jeffself.)
  • http://union38.org/wordpress/?page_id=63

Texas

• Alamo - In San Antonio, a MM lodge is opened in the Alamo, and the Grand Lodge officers are received. This happens each December. http://alamolodge44.org/
• Battleship Texas Degree - "I didn't see where anyone mentioned the MM degree performed annually on the Battleship Texas moored adjacent to the San Jacinto Monument and battleground just southeast of Houston. Big pageant day including Grand Master of all Texas Masons appearing at the battleground and ship celebrating the victory and capture of Generalissimo de Santa Ana by brother Sam Houston." (Information provided by Brother jwhoff. This looks to occur annually in the Spring.)
• Cave Degree - Longhorn Cavern State Park, Burnet, Texas. This occurs around October.
• Comanche Peak - Granbury Lodge #392 performs a mountain-top MM degree each year at Comanche Peak in Hood County. The meal is at 6pm, and the degree follows at 7pm. This happens in September. (Information provided by Brother Bennylee.)
• Lem Maddox Degree - "Districts 35A&B do an outdoor degree each year, Lem Maddox, held sometime in May I believe. The Scottish Rite Republic of Texas degree team puts on a pretty memorable degree as it would have been done in 1836." (Information provided by Brother relapse98.)
• Texas Senate Chambers Degree - "Twelve of my fellow home lodge brothers attended a MM degree in the Texas Senate chambers in Austin a few years back." (Information provided by Brother jwhoff. No time frame given. Re-occurrence is unknown.)
• USS Lexington Degree - "Roughly once a year, Oso Naval Lodge #1282 in Corpus Christi performs a MM degree onboard the aircraft carrier (now museum) USS Lexington." (Information provided by Brother Mac. No time frame given, but it looks to be around April.)

Traveling

• Oklahoma Masonic Indian Degree Team - These brothers travel to lodges all over the United States and Europe to confer the Master Mason degree. A portion of the degree work is done in Native American dress. The entire experience is said to be impressive.
  • Their Facebook page can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/OklahomaMas...dianDegreeTeam

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Dormant (and waiting to be revived)

Kentucky

• Kerosene Lantern Lodge - In Bowling Green KY, my lodge perform an outdoor degree, way out in the boondocks. We wear 19th century clothing, and use kerosene lanterns. (Information provided by Brother Charles Martin. No time frame given.)
  • Bowling Green lodge #73, performed the outdoor "kerosene lantern" degree back in the 1980's, usually in the summer time
• Mammoth Cave - In Edmonson County Kentucky, a lodge would go deep into Mammoth Cave (the largest cave system in the world), and conduct a MM degree, in the natural rock formations. (Information provided by Brother Charles Martin. No time frame given.)
  • The Mammoth Cave MM degree, was performed frequently by the lodge in Edmonson county KY, back in the 1970's. There were some problems with the National Park Service, which administers the cave, and the degree has not been performed there for some years.

Wyoming

• Pack Mule/Mesa Lodge - In Wyoming, a lodge loads up an entire MM degree team on pack mules, and then takes the mule team and members and candidates up to a mesa over a thousand feet high. They set up a camp, and then at sunset, they perform a MM degree under the stars. They say "27 Master Masons went up the mountain, and 28 came down". (Information provided by Brother Charles Martin. No time frame given.)
  • According to their Grand Secretary, it is unknown if this is still taking place.

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Given my work schedule, I don't know that I'll ever be able to work my way through all of the chairs (even though I would like to). Because of that, I would like to take every opportunity I can to visit other lodges -- especially if something out of the ordinary is happening. Any chance to broaden my horizons will be well worth it.

Several of these events, I've lifted information for from this forum. The time frame may not be set in stone, but it was in the hopes that I'd be able to "ballpark" them in the future. If anyone cares to contribute anything more to this list, it would be greatly appreciated. And if it is improper to post a consolidated list like this on these forums, please let me know, and I will delete it.

Thank you very much.

 

[cemab4y]

In Edmonson County Kentucky, a lodge would go deep into Mammoth Cave (the largest cave system in the world), and conduct a MM degree, in the natural rock formations.

In Wyoming, a lodge loads up an entire MM degree team on pack mules, and then takes the mule team and members and candidates up to a mesa over a thousand feet high. They set up a camp, and then at sunset, they perform a MM degree under the stars. They say "27 Master Masons went up the mountain, and 28 came down".

In Bowling Green KY, my lodge perform an outdoor degree, way out in the boondocks. We wear 19th century clothing, and use kerosene lanterns. Too cool.

 

[Mac]

Roughly once a year, Oso Naval Lodge #1282 in Corpus Christi performs a MM degree onboard the aircraft carrier (now museum) USS Lexington. I might be a little biased, but I bought they put on a heck of a show this last year.

 

[Trufflehound]

Charles,

Those all sound really interesting. The pack mule lodge sounds particularly interesting. Do they always limit the number of people that attend, or were the numbers 27 and 28 arbitrary? The Bowling Green lodge sounds really neat, too. For all three of your examples, do you have rough times of the year when they're performed? And do you know which lodge in Wyoming hosts the lodge on top of the mesa?

Mac,

Wow. Where do they hold lodge? The forecastle? When I was in the Navy, I was stationed aboard the USS Nimitz. Those were pre-Masonry days for me, so I never attended lodge on the ship. It would really be something to go to that. Do you know when they do that?

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Thank you, both, for your additions. I plan on updating the original post in this thread over time to fill the list out. Maybe it will be useful to others.

 

[jwhoff]

Twelve of my fellow home lodge brothers attended a MM degree in the Texas Senate chambers in Austin a few years back. The place was packed, including the Grand Master of all Texas masons as well as many of the grand officers. A member of the committee on work conferred the degree. It was a very enjoyable outing for the members of our lodge. It's approximately 110 miles or so over. We stopped for breakfast and again for a late lunch on some of our favorite restaurants along the way.

I had a chance to see my niece who was tailgating with other University of Texas students after we left the capital chambers. Their setup was on the way back to our car and she unbelievably recognized me out of the crowd.

Truly brethren, don't we all have enjoyable fellowship on such road trips?

 

[Mac]

The Lexington has a large theatre in the fo'c'sle area with airconditioning and seating for about 200.

I got so nervous during the closing I omitted a sentence from the closing charge that our GM has made mandatory for WMs in Texas this year.

 

[jwhoff]

Vindicate his character when wrongfully traduced!

Sailor, you are now relegated to the fantail.

Aurrgh! :15:

 

[widows son]

Check out the yellow dog degree.

 

[jwhoff]

Okay! I'll bite. Please PM me with a description.

tanx ... jwhoff

 

[Mac]

I've been curious about the Yellow Dog and the Order of the Turtle. I've heard of them online but never encountered them in the real world.

 

[widows son]

I haven't really been able to find much, other than its just one of those fun degrees to promote fraternity. Apparently what would the WM, is known as the master hound or something lol. I was invited by a good friend and brother to participate in February. Should be interesting.

 

[Trufflehound]

Thanks for the responses. I've reorganized the original post to reflect what you all have posted. I wasn't really sure how to approach the Yellow Dog or the Order of the Turtle stuff, so I've left it off (for now, at least). If anyone else has any recommendations, I'd love to hear them. Thanks!

 

[widows son]

No problemo

 

[cemab4y]

I read an article about the "pack mule" lodge in the "Scottish Rite Journal" some years ago. The article was about one specific instance of the outdoor lodge, and there just happened to be 28 participants; no reason to believe that there is a hard and fast number who participates. I suggest you contact the GL of Wyoming for more detail.

The Mammoth Cave MM degree, was performed frequently by the lodge in Edmonson county KY, back in the 1970's. There were some problems with the National Park Service, which administers the cave, and the degree has not been performed there for some years.

Bowling Green lodge #73, performed the outdoor "kerosene lantern" degree back in the 1980's, usually in the summer time.

 

[widows son]

I'm going to a lodge a town over from me to watch a 3rd degree done the old Scottish way, way back in the late 1700s to early 1800s. Can't wait!

 

[Trufflehound]

I read an article about the "pack mule" lodge in the "Scottish Rite Journal" some years ago. The article was about one specific instance of the outdoor lodge, and there just happened to be 28 participants; no reason to believe that there is a hard and fast number who participates. I suggest you contact the GL of Wyoming for more detail.

The Mammoth Cave MM degree, was performed frequently by the lodge in Edmonson county KY, back in the 1970's. There were some problems with the National Park Service, which administers the cave, and the degree has not been performed there for some years.

Bowling Green lodge #73, performed the outdoor "kerosene lantern" degree back in the 1980's, usually in the summer time.

If these aren't performed at regular or semi-regular intervals, I'll remove them from the list. Maybe I'll make a "dormant" section.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is this list even anything that others would want to see populated and kept up with?

 

[widows son]

It's always good to know. In case a brother might be interested.

 

[crono782]

Does anyone have any suggestions? Is this list even anything that others would want to see populated and kept up with?

Yes indeed! Thanks very much for starting this thread. Keep updating the original post in the thread. This should get "stickied" in the forum IMO.

 

[Trufflehound]

I have updated the thread, and I sent an email to the Grand Lodge of Wyoming asking if the "pack mule" lodge was still something that was done.

As always, if anyone else has anything to add or share, just let me know!

UPDATE: According to the Grand Secretary, it is unknown if this is still taking place. I have since moved it.

 

[Trufflehound]

Thanks to some of the members of Clarence H. Cohen Lodge #749 in Georgia this morning, I was given enough information to find out more on the Oklahoma Masonic Indian Degree Team. I've updated their entry and created a "Traveling" section for them (since they travel to confer degrees).

For anyone that would like to see one of these degrees or request a degree from them, their Facebook page can be found here:

https://www.facebook.com/OklahomaMasonicIndianDegreeTeam

And more information can be found here:

http://www.phoenixmasonry.org/oklahoma_masonic_indian_degree_team.htm