The Freedom Trail: Grand Lodge Of Massachusetts Part II

by Midnight Freemasons Contributor
Gregory J. Knott
This is the fourth installment of Gregory Knott's Freedom Trail Series


Doric Hall
We continue our journey on the Freedom Trail by finishing our visit to the Boston Masonic Building.  Previously we visited the first 3 floors and now we continue upward.

Tuscan Hall resides on the 4th floor.  This is a smaller lodge room with a green décor and a magnificent sunburst over the Masters Chair.  The York Rite Bodies and Harvard and MIT Lodges all have offices on this floor.

Ionic Hall looking East
The 5th floor contains to lodge rooms, Doric and Ionic as well as a new amazing Chamber of Reflection.  The Doric Lodge room is themed in light blue and is the smaller of the two lodge rooms on this floor.  I especially enjoyed this room for its intimate size yet elegant furnishings.

Chamber of Reflection
The Chamber of Reflection was an original design into the building but was recently renovated in 2008.  This room was oval in shape with an amazing domed ceiling that contained paintings on it depicting Time, Death, War and Peace. 
The Anteroom is located near Doric Hall and the Chamber of Reflection and is intended as a space for brethren to relax.  It contains a large fireplace and a handsome grandfather clock. 

Past Grand Masters of Massachusetts
Ionic Hall is everything you would expect in a magnificent Grand Lodge building.   It has a high ceiling with light embedded within the complex grid system.  Portraits of the most recent Past Grand Masters adorn the walls between columns that support the room and add a sense of majesty to its visitors.  The East is no less impressive with a large overpowering Masters chair that sets the tone for the seriousness of Massachusetts Masonry. 

The 6th floor contains the Armory of Boston Commandery No. 2 and the office of the Superintendent of the building.  I did not tour this floor.
 
Gothic Hall stage
Floor 7 is home to Gothic Hall which is used primarily by the Valley of Boston Scottish Rite.  This hall is equally impressive with an amazing ceiling accented by a unique gold leaf border.  Gothic Hall contains a large stage that is used to put on the degrees of the Scottish Rite.

This concludes our tour of the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts.  This building is well worth the time to visit.  Other areas in the building include a library, dining area and some good displays on the first floor talking about the history of Freemasonry in Massachusetts.   You'll find a few more pictures below.  I have assembled a complete photo collection at https://plus.google.com/photos/100541014602276671939/albums/5799257703435063153

Our next stop on the Freedom Trail will be the Granary Burying Ground. 

The Ante Room
Gothic Hall
WB Gregory J. Knott is the Past Master of St. Joseph Lodge No. 970 in St. Joseph (IL) and a plural member of Ogden Lodge No. 754 (IL), and Homer Lodge No. 199 (IL). He's a member of both the Scottish Rite, and the York Rite, and is the Charter Secretary of the Illini High Twelve Club in Champaign-Urbana. He's also a member of the Ansar Shrine (IL). Greg is very involved in Boy Scouts--an Eagle Scout himself, he serves the Grand Lodge of Illinois A. F. & A. M. as their representative to the National Association of Masonic Scouters.

1 comment:

  1. Some very nice Lodge rooms it's on my bucket list to visit someday.

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