Just Over 100 Years Ago, Seven Lodges Served Our Region

The decade ending in 1920 was a period of much suffering, and lot of change.  In 1918, World War One ended, with an American death toll of more than 116 thousand.  During 1918 and 1919, over 650 thousand Americans died of the Spanish Flu. The 18^th Amendment ended most legal alcohol consumption, and the 19^th Amendment finally gave American adult women the right to vote.

In response to these events, freemasonry changed and new masonic organizations were created.  In 1919, Frank S. Land and a group of young boys, including some orphans of freemasons, started what later became the first Chapter of DeMolay International.  Also created about this time were two organizations for girls:  the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls and Job’s Daughters.

In California, freemasonry became more popular.  The number of California Freemasons quadrupled from 21,579 in 1899, to 85,181 in 1921.  American freemasonry was entering its golden age.  The number of American freemasons reached over 3 million by 1924.  By that time, nearly 6 out of every 100 American males were freemasons.

Lodge membership in our area grew from 25 members from 1 lodge in 1899, to over 2,000 members from 7 lodges by 1921, which included:

• Carquinez No. 337 (Founded 1899), meeting in Crockett
• Pinole No. 353 (Founded 1903), meeting in Hercules
• McKinley No. 347 (Founded 1902), meeting in Richmond
• Alpha No. 431 (Founded 1912), meeting in Richmond
• Berkeley No. 363 (Founded 1904), meeting in Berkeley
• Charter Rock No. 410 (Founded 1910), meeting in Berkeley
• Thousand Oaks No. 478 (Founded 1920), meeting in Berkeley

The members of Bay Cities Lodge No. 337 are remembering our past and building a better tomorrow. Our members want to have a direct and beneficial impact to our communities, through our charities, and on a personal level. We meet on the first Friday of the month for stated meetings at the Richmond Masonic Hall, 5050 El Portal Drive, in Richmond at the edge of El Sobrante.