Christopher L. Hodapp's Blog, page 3

Cincinnati Masonic Center Sold, But the Phoenix Rises

(Google Maps)
by Christopher Hodapp

The Scottish Rite Valley of Cincinnati  has just sold their 1928 downtown Masonic Center and Taft Theater to real estate development firm Western & Southern. The new owners are currently in the research phase of just how to renovate and develop the historic 30,000 square foot complex and are working with the city to determine their future plans.
But the Valley has amazingly bucked the usual trend of Masonic organizations over the last half century of shucking thei...

Speaking Tonight at Valparaiso, Indiana's Crowned Martyrs Lodge

by Christopher Hodapp

I'll be speaking tonight at Crowned Martyrs Lodge 771 in Valparaiso, Indiana on the topic of the William Morgan Affair. The disappearance of Morgan two hundred years ago next year set off the most notorious anti-Masonic period in American history. My presentation will put the Morgan affair in its wider historical context, discuss some of the after-effects it had on the fraternity, and explore the most bizarre story ever inspired by mysterious fate of Morgan himself, the 19th...

Grand Lodge of Texas Issues Disaster Relief Message for Central Texas Floods

Photo: BatesvilleTribune.com
by Christopher Hodapp

The scope of the death and destruction from the horrific floods in Texas over the weekend continues to grow as recovery and relief efforts increase in the region. In the wake of this disaster, Grand Master Rayborn Reader of the Grand Lodge of Texas AF&AM has issued the following message on social media:

Brethren, Family and Friends,

In the wake of the devastating floods that have struck Central Texas, our hearts are heavy with sorrow. Lives have bee...

Georgia Lodge Selling Mini Iron Pans As Fundraiser

by Christopher Hodapp
Landrum Lodge 48 in Savannah, Georgia is partnering with the appropriately-named Lodge Cast Iron company to create the first-ever Masonic cast iron mini skillets.

As a fundraiser they are offering this unique set of three miniature cast iron skillets representing the three degrees of Freemasonry: the Entered Apprentice with the square, compass, sun & moon; the Fellowcraft with the square, compass, and two pillars; and the Master Mason with the square, compass, and sprigs of ...

UnXplained Episode: Secret Societies

by Christopher Hodapp

The History network finally got around this week to airing an episode of The UnXplained with William Shatner that I shot a segment for a year ago. Season 7/Episode 9: Secret Societies . 
Thanks again to the kind folks at Prometheus Productions who have kept calling me back for 15 years now, for some inexplicable reason.
The portion on the Freemasons featured bits of me and Arturo De Hoyos that were shot in Washington D.C.'s beautiful Scottish Rite Cathedral (which is not the sa...

Unexplained Episode: Secret Societies

by Christopher Hodapp

The History network finally got around this week to airing an episode of The Unexplained with William Shatner that I shot a segment for a year ago. Season 7/Episode 9: Secret Societies . 
Thanks again to the kind folks at Prometheus Productions who have kept calling me back for 15 years now, for some inexplicable reason.
The portion on the Freemasons featured bits of me and Arturo De Hoyos that were shot in Washington D.C.'s beautiful Scottish Rite Cathedral (which is not the s...

Cuban Government Places Disgraced Past Grand Master Back In Charge. . . Again

by Christopher Hodapp

(For MUCH more background on this continuing story, see Cuban Freemasons Oust Grand Master in Called Session on May 29th.)
The government of Cuba has forced the Grand Lodge of Cuba to violate its own internal rules in order to re-install their former Grand Master, Mario Alberto Urquía Carreño (photo above). He had been forced to resign a year ago, put back into the job by order of the government's Ministry of Justice, and was removed yet again as the head of the order by the ...

250 Years of Prince Hall Freemasonry in Boston

Photo: WGBH
by Christopher Hodapp

On Memorial Day, the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts celebrated a true milestone for their unique branch of the fraternity of Freemasonry, marking the 250th anniversary of the raising of Prince Hall and 14 other free black men as Masons in Boston. The Boston Memorial Day event saw a large procession to Copp's Hill burial ground, led by Grand Master Justin A. Petty, where a striking monument to WB Hall stands today.


Back in March 1775, Hall ...

Massachusetts Masons To Rededicate Bunker Hill Monument June 16th

Photo: National Parks Service
by Christopher Hodapp

As the 250th anniversary (the Semiquincentennial, in case you were wondering) of the Declaration of Independence and the American Revolution gets underway this year, Boston-area Freemasons and the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts A.F.&A.M. will take part in a rededication of the monument marking the Battle of Bunker Hill at Charlestown next Monday, June 16th.
From the Charlestown Patriot-Bridge website yesterday:

On Monday, June 16, Charlestown will be...

Masonic Quest: Escape from the Masonic Temple!

by Christopher Hodapp

No, I don't mean ducking out to avoid cooking the monthly breakfast. Not that kind of escape. 
I'm always looking for unique ways to bring the community into our Masonic halls and get the public interested in just who and what our fraternity is all about. Sometimes you have to think outside of the usual pattern of pancake breakfasts, chili cook-offs, and other typical events that lodges have been doing for the last 100 years and get more creative. So, here are a couple of ide...