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Those Mysterious Freemasons (and other Fraternities)

Created on Jul 14, 2016 by Kathy Pinna

Have you even seen the inside of a Masonic Lodge? Did you know that there were female Masons? Well, now you can see both - and more. These pictures show the history of "secret societies" and fraternities during the 18th - early 20th centuries.

Fun Facts: The first known Grand Lodge of Freemasons was formed in England in 1717 - and the first recorded female Mason was in Ireland around 1712. Lodges were formed in the "Colonies" of America in the 1730's and many founders of the United States (and 14 Presidents) were Freemasons. By the time of the Civil War, there were over 200,000 men in the U.S. who were Free and Accepted Masons.There have been hundreds of fraternities in the U.S., the Freemasons perhaps being the oldest.

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History photos of Freemasons and other fraternities

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"A Mason holding his own"

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A Masonic Shriner

George Washington, Master Mason

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Grand Lodge #2

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1897 Black lodge.

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Los Angeles California

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First recorded female Mason

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Elizabeth Aldworth became a Mason in County Cork.

Co-Masons in England

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A mixed male and female Lodge circa 1908.

Teddy Roosevelt, Master Mason

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Other U.S. Presidents who were Masons:James Monroe, Andrew Jackson, James Polk, James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, James Garfield,William McKinley, William Taft, Warren Harding, F. D. Roosevelt, Harry Truman, and Gerald Ford.

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Silicon Valley Lodge in 1866

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San Jose CA.

1916 Masonic baseball game

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Joseph Smith

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Founder of the Mormon religion and a Freemason.

Inside Lodge room, NYC

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Grand Lodge meeting in copper mine, AZ

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Matthew Brady photo of an unknown Mason

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Shriner, 1899

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Lynne Kary-Rana
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shared on 12/12/2015

1960 Los Angeles

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"I love to love a Mason . . .

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Cause a Mason never tells!"

Annie Besant in Mason Regalia

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Annie Besant was a Co-Mason, a Theosophist, and a worker for women's rights.

Holy Order of the Jerusalem Sepulcher

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1950 with Pope Pius XII.

Knights of Columbus?

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Rebekahs

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Photo of Gracia Persey Gracia Persey
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shared on 02/27/2015

The female part of the Oddfellows.

Knights of Pythias

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Inside Masonic Lodge room, Massachusetts

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The Paul Revere Lodge.

1922 Masonic ballgame

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Shriners often dress as clowns to entertain children.

Daughters of the Confederacy

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Lynne Kary-Rana
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shared on 10/26/2015

President General.

Odd Fellows Parade

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Deadwood, South Dakota 1890

Masons on parade

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In a re-enactment of the laying of the cornerstone, Washington D.C., 1932.

Masonic ball game 1921

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Knight of Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes

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Tony Burleton
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shared on 09/11/2013

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