The Grand Lodge of Oregon
Grand Lodge of the Month for April 2022
A Brief History
The first effort to bring Freemasonry to Oregon occurred in Oregon City on February 5, 1846, when a notice was posted in the advertising columns of the Oregon Spectator. Seven Master Masons responded to this call, and after due discussion, they created and signed a petition appealing to the Grand Lodge of Missouri for a Lodge charter. The suggested name “Multnomah Lodge” was proposed, likely to honor Indian Chief Multnomah who befriended the white settlers.
The Charter began the journey from Missouri to Oregon around April 1, 1848, in a rawhide–covered trunk and was delivered by Brethren Orrin and Joseph Kellogg to Petitioner Joseph Hull on September 1, 1848. By 1850, two more Lodges existed near modern-day Portland, and on September 13, 1851, brethren from the three Lodges met to form the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons of Oregon. The Grand Lodge was formally established on September 15, 1851.
Berryman Jennings was the first Grand Master of Masons in Oregon from 1851–1853. Each year on May 30, a wreath is laid on the gravesite, located in the Greenwood Hills Cemetery in Portland, to honor Oregon’s first Grand Master.
Caring for Our Masonic FamilyThe idea to establish a retirement home for members, wives and widows, was first introduced in 1883 by Worshipful Brother J.P. Galbraith of Brownsville Lodge № 36. A resolution was formalized and adopted in 1907, and Pendleton Lodge № 52 voted to set aside $150 for the express intent of starting a fund to build a Masonic Home in Oregon. This money was kept with other invested funds of the Grand Lodge, and in 1917, when the principal and interest came to $250, Grand Master Will Moore (Pendleton Lodge № 52) again brought forth the idea of establishing a Masonic Home.
The Masonic & Eastern Star Home Building Fund was established to raise funds for the building and when it grew to $50,000, work began on the building in the quaint, country–setting of Forest Grove, which is located several miles southwest of Portland. The Masonic & Eastern Star Home (MESH) opened for guests on March 1, 1922, and was dedicated on June 14, 1922.
Today, the original MESH building is leased to McMenamins, a local hotel and restaurant chain that specializes in restoring and maintaining historical buildings around the Northwest. It operates as a public entertainment complex under the name McMenamins Grand Lodge.
To continue the legacy of care, a new community was constructed called The Jennings McCall Center. Named after Berryman Jennings, the first Most Worshipful Grand Master of Masons in Oregon, and Mary McCall the first Worthy Grand Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star in Oregon, the facility was built and opened to the public in 1989 as an independent living retirement center.
In 1999, the Jennings McCall Center expanded to include a new assisted living side of the facility. The residents who enjoyed the original Masonic and Eastern Star Home were moved to the modern assisted living units. In 2016, a multi-phase remodel began. As work continues, upgrades to the facility will include refreshed rooms, an updated exterior, new dining rooms and a meeting facility. The result will be a real testament to the Craft‘s ongoing commitment to serving the residents.
Continuing Our LegacyToday, the 171st Grand Master, Gregory A. Jenkins, presides over 100 Lodges and more than 5,300 Master Masons. Oregon Freemasonry continues to work in support of its members, their families, and communities around the state. The philanthropy and charitable work respond to many needs from disaster relief to aged care. Financial assistance and scholarships are also provided to those who might not otherwise be able to make the most of their potential. Visit www.masonic-oregon.com/charity to see a complete list of programs and charities supported by the Grand Lodge of Oregon.
Additionally, the Forest Grove Masonic complex includes a new library that houses a museum too, named for M.W.B. Robert M. Richmond, a Past Grand Master in Oregon. It is available for the enjoyment and use of members and the public alike.
The Grand Lodge of Oregon, A.F.&A.M.
2150 Masonic Way
Forest Grove, OR 97116https://www.masonic-oregon.com/503-357-3158
