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North Dakota Masonic Records
North Dakota Masonic Records, 1876-1972
Collection Overview
Title: North Dakota Masonic Records, 1876-1972
ID: OGLMC1031
Extent: 3.0 Linear Feet
Date Acquired: 00/00/1985
Subjects: Organizational Records
Languages: English
Scope and Contents of the Materials
Collection Historical Note
Masonic organizations entered the Dakota Territory in 1875 through the Masonic groups already existent in Iowa. The Grand Lodge of Dakota was the first official large-scale association in the territory; many of its activities were based in what would become South Dakota, though the north's activity was not marginal. In 1889, when both North Dakota and South Dakota gained statehood, each state drew a new constitution for a Grand Lodge according to its area.
Masonic organizations are not by definition secretive, but because of their various rituals and often-unwritten constitutions and history, they could be considered enigmatic. "Freemasonry, as the most ancient and universal of all societies, is governed by its laws or rules of action, which either spring out of its organization . . . or which are derived from the enactment of its superintending tribunals," wrote Albert Mackey (1807-1881), one of the foremost Masonic historians. Each Grand Lodge and lodge many enact different customs, and evolution is sometimes undocumented.
North Dakota has or once had the following distinct Masonic groups: a Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons; a Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters; a Grand Commandery of Knights Templar; an Order of the Eastern Star, which is a Masonic group for women; and DeMolay, which is for youth and young men. A lodge is the term given to a chapter of the organization that is limited to a smaller geographical area. Many towns in North Dakota host lodges of these organizations.
Subject/Index Terms
Administrative Information
Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections
Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.
Acquisition Source: Transferred from the Chester Fritz Library's circulating collection
Acquisition Method: Donation; Acc.85-1404
Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). North Dakota Masonic Records. OGLMC 1031, Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.
Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid migrated to Archon in January 2015.
Box and Folder Listing
Browse by Box:
[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[Box 3],
[All]
- Box 2
- Folder 1: Grand Chapter Proceedings - "Golden Jubilee Convocation" - 1939
- Folder 2: International Masonic Celebration, June 21, 1921
- Folder 3: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1933-1934
- Folder 4: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1935
- Folder 5: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1937
- Folder 6: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1938
- Folder 7: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1939
- Folder 8: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1940
- Folder 9: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1941
- Folder 10: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1944
- Folder 11: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1945
- Folder 12: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1946
- Folder 13: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1947
- Folder 14: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1948
- Folder 15: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1949
- Folder 16: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1950
- Folder 17: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1951-1952
- Folder 18: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1953
- Folder 19: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1954
- Folder 20: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1955
- Folder 21: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1956
- Folder 22: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1957
- Folder 23: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1958
- Folder 24: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1959
- Folder 25: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1961
- Folder 26: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1962
- Folder 27: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1963
- Folder 28: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1964
- Folder 29: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1965
- Folder 30: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1966
- Folder 31: Grand Chapter/Council Proceedings, 1967
- Folder 32: Grand Chapter, 1910
- Folder 33: Grand Chapter, 1911
- Folder 34: Grand Chapter, 1912
- Folder 35: Grand Chapter, 1921
- Folder 36: Grand Chapter, 1922
- Folder 37: Grand Chapter, 1923
- Folder 38: Grand Chapter, 1924
- Folder 39: Grand Chapter, 1925
- Folder 40: Grand Chapter, 1928
Browse by Box:
[Box 1],
[Box 2],
[Box 3],
[All]