Scottish Rite Center

Description

Freemasonry was born in San Diego at a community picnic at George Washington Square in Old Town. It was spring, 1851, and among the men assembled was a small group--perhaps 15 or 20--who discovered each other to be Masons. According to a newspaper report they agreed to meet as Masons and petition the year-old Grand Lodge of California to form a lodge in the dusty little year-old village of San Diego. As a result San Diego Lodge No. 35 was chartered on May 6, 1853 with 14 members.The first meetings of the new Lodge were held in a small frame building in Old Town. In 1881 the Masons, in a joint venture with the International Order of Oddfellows, built a Temple on the corner of Sixth and H (now Market) Streets.By 1887, the Fraternity had grown to nearly 200 members. A few of the members began to work diligently to bring a Valley of Scottish Rite Masonry to San Diego. On the evenings of Monday, May 9, through Friday the 13th, twenty five candidates were communicated the Fourth through Fourteenth Degrees in Constans #8 Lodge of Perfection. There followed in rapid succession the institution of Constans Chapter of Rose Croix, and the San Diego Consistory. By 1920 there were more than 550 members. In 1921 the Supreme Council approved a name change so that all four bodies were named "San Diego."

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