‘Masonic treasures on display’

    

Magpie coverage of Grotto Week in New Orleans is forthcoming, I promise, but let me just publish another time sensitive post before I delve into a ton of photos and memories.

Two of New York Freemasonry’s most treasured sites will be open to visiting groups later this month.

MCC photo

Next Monday, the 17th, the Landmarks Society of Greater Utica will gather at the Daniel D. Tompkins Memorial Chapel in Utica. The Masonic Chapel Walk and Talk will be guided by Mara Mulligan.

Everyone will meet in the parking lot of the chapel (2150 Bleecker St.), located on Grand Lodge’s Masonic Care Community campus, at six o’clock for the 90-minute tour.

Donations are welcome. Click here.

On Sunday, June 23, New York Adventure Club will spend a few hours inside Masonic Hall in Manhattan (71 W. 23rd St.), the headquarters of Grand Lodge. From the publicity:

What do notable New Yorkers like John Jacob Astor, Harry Houdini, and New York City Mayor Fiorello La Guardia all have in common? The answer: They were members of Freemasonry, the world’s first and largest fraternity dating back to the 1600s.

From separating fact from fiction behind this members-only organization, to exploring more than a dozen breathtaking spaces that have been painstakingly restored to their original grandeur, it’s time to uncover the secrets behind one of New York City’s most unique buildings like never before.

Join New York Adventure Club for a special access trip through the historic Masonic Hall, the headquarters of the Freemasons’ Grand Lodge of New York since 1873. Led by one of the New York Grand Lodge’s most senior members, this rare two-hour weekend experience through many of the Masonic Hall rooms will include:

🎩 An overview of the history and concepts of Masonry

🎩 The story of Masonic Hall and why it was completely rebuilt in 1911 as a towering 19-story building

🎩 A look inside nearly a dozen meeting rooms and their eclectic architectural styles, such as the Renaissance Room, Ionic Room, and French Doric Room

🎩 A special visit to the Hollender Room, featuring a two-story vaulted ceiling, subtle Mayan and Incan motifs, leaded glass bookcases containing rare books, and a statue of George Washington (a Freemason himself!)

🎩 Famous Freemasons who visited Masonic Hall since the late 19th century, including President Franklin D. Roosevelt

🎩 A trip to the famed Grand Lodge Room, a masterpiece of design containing iconic stained glass windows and other elements that are believed to have influenced the design of the ill-fated Titanic

🎩 A discussion of the Library and Museum within Masonic Hall. Open during weekdays, these rooms house rare Masonic books, artifacts, and regalia that offer a glimpse into the cultural and historical contributions of the Freemasons.

Cost per person: $39.98. Begins at two o’clock. Click here.

If you cannot attend this time, the group will do it again on Sunday, July 21 at 2 p.m.