Montana Masonic History
First known Mason to enter Montana
As a leader of the Corp of Discovery, Meriwether Lewis was the first known Freemason to enter what would be come Montana in 1805.
First Recorded Meeting of Masons in Montana
The first meeting of Masons in Montana on September 23,1862, when three brethren with the first Fisk expedition camped near the summit of the Rocky Mountains performed the ritual of opening and closing a lodge. They were Nathaniel P. Langford, David Charlton and George Gere, all Minnesota Freemasons.
First Masonic Funeral
The first Masonic funeral in the territory was at Grasshopper Creek gold camp, near Bannack. Seventy-six Masons attended the grave of their departed brother, William H. Bell, the day after his death on November 12, 1862.
First Masonic Lodge
The first lodge in Montana was Idaho City in Nevada City. It received its charter from the Grand Lodge of Nebraska in 1863 and raised the first Master Mason in Montana on April 23, 1864. Unfortunately it closed later that year.
The second lodge, Virginia City, received its charter from the Grand Lodge of Kansas in 1864. The third and fourth lodges were chartered by the Grand Lodge of Colorado. Montana Lodge in Ennis and Helena Lodge received their charters in 1865.
On January 26, 1866, Virginia City, Montana and Helena Lodges meet at Virginia City and formed the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons of Montana.