Douglas Masonic Lodge Features Historic Signs

Douglas Lodge #12.

by Glenn Franco Simmons

At old newspapers I published, I used to photograph Masonic Halls in Northern California. Sadly, those photos reside with whomever bought the archives when the newspapers were sold.

My interest in Masonry began with my own initiation, but due to having twins and a son and being so involved with my community activities and working seven days a week, I did not progress very far.

It was then that I realized what a significant role Masons have played not only in Northern Nevada history, but U.S. history, with numerous presidents having been Masons.

Douglas Lodge #12.

Douglas Lodge #12 is a Western-style Lodge next to an antique store. I haven't been inside, but the outside is colorful and interesting, not to mention historical.

According to a posted directory at the Lodge, current Lodge officers are Al Bergstrum is Worshipful Master; D. Russ Bacon, Senior Warden; Roger Cole (PM), junior warden; and Larry W. Darling (PGS), secretary.

“The history of Douglas lodge begins in 1868, when twelve brethren in Genoa, moved by Masonic impulse, and in search of fraternal contact, and intent upon the establishment of a home wherein they might spread Masonic light, and diffuse the principles of the order, petitioned the Grand Lodge of Nevada for permission to organize a lodge under dispensation,” according to “History of Masonry in Nevada” by C.W. Torrence (Western Printing & Publishing Co., Sparks, Nev.).

Perhaps the Lodge was a store at one time. Let me know in comments.

“On the 22nd of February, 1868, their petition was granted, and a dispensation was issued under authority of J. C. Currie, Grand Master, and naming Robert W. Rollen worshipful master; Silas E. Tuttle, senior warden, and Hiram Doyle, junior warden,” Mr. Torrence wrote. “Under this document, the lodge worked and was duly instituted, and its officers were installed; work was continued under this arrangement, until the seventeenth of September of the same year when, in conformity with the action of the Committee on Charters at the fourth annual communication of the Grand Lodge held in Masonic Hall in Virginia City, it was recommended that a charter be issued the brethren at Genoa, and their lodge be numbered twelve on the registry of Nevada lodges.

“Shortly after it was chartered and constituted, one of its first acts was to form a joint stock company among its members, which had for its object the erecting of a Masonic temple. This effort, however, was not productive of results, and after an outlay of considerable labor, infinite and careful planning and deliberation, as well as the investing of funds, the undertaking collapsed. Intermittently thereafter additional attempts were made to devise plans for the erection of a building, but in each instance prevailing conditions in the lodge and community prevented the accomplishment of their intentions.”

While at the Lodge, which was obviously closed the morning I was there, had a parking sign and another sign in the beautiful Masonic Blue. It made me think readers might be interested in the colors used in Freemasonry.

I love the color Masonic Blue.

“Colors are somewhat subjective for each of us,” according to the Masonic Lodge of Education's website. “Different people see colors differently. Even each graphics program and computer monitor displays them a little differently and so, even the color 'light blue' can denote a vast array of hues or tones of the same color.

“Freemasons learn that the answer to this question is that Masonic Blue is the color of the starry decked sky {;} the celestial clouded canopy that covers each and every one of us. But, why ‘blue?’ Why not purple or red or any other color in the spectrum? And what exact hue of blue does Masonic Blue represent {:} The light, clear blue of a Summer’s Day, the dark blue before the storm {,} the royal blue of a Mediterranean sky {,} or something in between?”

In another part of the website, it stated, “Blue was a sacred color to the priests of Israel in biblical times.  The color is mentioned first in the Old Testament in: Exodus XXV:3-4:  in which the Lord commanded Moses to speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘And this is the offering which ye shall take of them; gold, and silver, and brass, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goat’s hair.’ Throughout the Books of Exodus and Numbers are many references to the color, blue, and several more are to be found in Chronicles, Esther, Jeremiah and Ezekiel.”

The website ~ which I encourage you to visit after a search for it (as links often change, I am reluctant to use hyperlinks) ~ also stated, “... We see the colors blue and gold repeatedly used together throughout nature, in the scriptures and in the process of learning why blue is a sacred color. The sky is blue. The sun’s rays are gold in color.

“Therefore, it is easy to see why the colors blue and gold have historically been associated with Deity (God, G_d, the Creator, the Almighty, the Supreme Architect of the Universe).”

I have seen Masonic rings with such colors.

“We see the colors blue and gold repeatedly in Masonic paraphernalia such as gold Masonic rings with the ring's face or background being blue,” the website continued. “We see Masonic Blue on a Masonic lapel pin, most Masonic cufflinks, Masonic gifts and the overwhelming majority of Masonic jewelry {~} not to mention upon Masonic aprons and other Masonic supplies.”

Genoa Has Historic Cemetery

Looking northwest at the Genoa Cemetery.

by Glenn Franco Simmons

Tucked away two-thirds north of Genoa-proper, off Jacks Valley Road, is the historic Genoa Cemetery, which remains in use today. 

While walking through the cemetery, a profound sense of history soon evidenced itself in the form of various types of gravestones.

The cemetery, operated by the Genoa Cemetery Association,  is well-maintained and, if I may say with respect, picturesque.

According to the excellent “A History of the Genoa Cemetery,” by Billie J. Rightmire, on Sept. 9, 1897, “J.W. Haines and wife Rosa, deeded seven ... acres to the Douglas Lodge No. 12, F & A.M., and Genoa Lodge No. 15 ~ I.O.O.F., and Douglas County for the sum of $1.00 gold co{i}n, a certain parcel of land north of the Haines home to be used as the Genoa Grave Yard.

“At the time, 1897, and through a chain of property ownerships. {T}his land was already being used as a place for burial. Senator Haines and his wife purchased their 320 acres of Genoa property in 1877.”

As with many cemeteries, Genoa's is sectioned.

“The Genoa Cemetery, as per the deed, had a Genoa Section, an Odd Fellows Lodge Section (I.O.O.F.) and a Masonic Lodge Section {(}F & A.M.),” according to Rightmire. “A small Indian Section is located at the Northeast corner of the Cemetery. The Genoa Cemetery Association was formed in the early 1950s.”

I encourage you to read more of the cemetery’s history at the Genoa Cemetery Association’s cemetery history webpage, or what cemetery association president Bob Whear noted is the association's first newsletter. (At the date of posting, the web links were current.)

Amity Lodge Will Host Communication

Amity Lodge, Silver City. © Glenn Franco Simmons. Taken several years ago.

by Glenn Franco Simmons

Travelers might notice the well-cared-for white building with blue trim in Silver City, Nev., without realizing it is part of a living history that dates all the way back to the origins of The Comstock Lode.

Silver City's Amity Lodge No. 4 F. & A.M. — located at 175 Main St. — was chartered in 1863. The Lodge's regular communication will take place on Thursday, May 2. Dinner is at 6 p.m., followed by Lodge opening at 7 p.m.

"Amity Lodge No. 4 had its beginnings as Silver City Lodge No. 163," according to Amity Lodge's website. "Sojourning Masons living in Silver City, Nevada, under the guidance of Brother John C. Currie expressed their desire to organize a lodge, by framing a petition to the Grand Lodge of California.

"A dispensation was granted by Grand Master William C. Belcher on March 20, 1863, to the sundry Brethren at Silver City, Nevada Territory, and a charter was granted by the Grand Lodge of California on May 15, 1863, as Silver City Lodge No. 163.

"The officers and members included — John C. Currie, W. M.; Charles F. Brant, S. W.; William B. Hickok, J. W.; August Koneman, Treasurer; Henry W. Arnold, Secretary; James A. Cowden, S. D.; Moses J. Rourke, J. D.; Henry Lun, Tyler. Other members included Master Masons M. J. Henley, R. P. Kerr, and Robert H. Watson.

"Lodge membership increased to 36 Master Masons, 4 Fellow Craft, and 12 Entered Apprentices in 1865, when the Lodge severed it connection to the Grand Lodge of California, and united with other Lodges in the organization of the Grand Lodge of Nevada, from which it received a charter at the time as Amity Lodge No. 4 on January 16, 1865.

"Its first Master, Brother John C. Currie, withdrew, and united with Virginia City Lodge at Virginia City, and was elected Grand Master of Masons of the State of Nevada, and also served as Mayor of Virginia City. Brother Richard T. Mullard was the last Master under California jurisdiction, and Master under newly formed Amity Lodge No. 4, he would later became Deputy Grand Master."

There is a stated meeting first Thursday of each month at Amity Lodge.

There are many misconceptions about Free & Accepted Masons, so I refer readers to an excellent rebuttal to common fallacies regarding Freemasonry that the Grand Lodge of Virginia published: "Myths of Freemasonry."

(Photos taken by Glenn may be used without restriction by Masons. For Masons, photo credit is not required.)

Amity Lodge in Silver City. © Glenn Franco Simmons.

Comstock History: Silver Star No. 5 Lodge

This image (courtesy of the University of Nevada, Reno) has been digitally edited to make it lighter for publication. The stereograph shows Gold Hill's  Masonic Lodge.

Masons have helped shaped the state of Nevada's history since before its territorial status. In mining communities bustling with Masons, there was a selfless desire to construct Temples in each community that could sustain an active membership.

Masons in Gold Hill felt such a calling and were responsible for the establishment of Silver Star Lodge No. 5.

“The brethren at Gold Hill were led in their undertaking {to establish a Lodge} by Bro. Charles E. Ollney and Duane L. Bliss. ... ,” according to “History of Masonry in Nevada” (©) by C.W. Torrence (Western Printing & Publishing Co., Sparks, Nev.).

“On the 11th of April, 1863, Wm. G. Alban, R. R. Barnes, Levi W. Lee, M. Frankenheimer, Lewis B. Frankel, Sigmund Ettinger, A. C. Hollingshead, Hugh McLeod, Henry Donnelly, N. A. H. Ball, Robert Webber, Charles E. Olney, Duane Bliss, Samuel Robinson, and H. H. Veasy framed a petition to the Grand Lodge of California asking permission to establish a lodge at Gold Hill. On the 20th of June, 1863, the document for which they petitioned was issued, and on July 11th the dispensation was delivered, and W. G. Alban was installed Worshipful Master; E. R. Barnes, Senior Warden; L. W. Lee, Junior Warden; S. H. Robinson, Treasurer; S. Ettinger, Secretary; L. B. Frankel, Senior Deacon; A. C. Hollingshead, Junior Deacon; H. McLeod and M. Frankenheimer, Stewards; H. N. Veasy, Tyler. …”

Sadly, as Mr. Torrence noted in his excellent book, the decline in Comstock mining led to the demise of numerous Lodges.

The photo is courtesy of the University of Nevada, Reno. (Photograph of Masonic building; stereograph; UNRS-P1386-1.tif collection_4968).

Postcard Depicts Reno Masonic Temple

Courtesy of University of Nevada, Reno.

This is an image of a postcard (postmarked in 1910) that shows the Masonic Temple and Public Library in Reno. Image courtesy of the University of Nevada, Reno. Information with the image said the postcard was “{p}ublished by Edward H. Mitchell.” (Local Identifier; UNRS-P0501-6.tif collection_3497.)

Genoa: An Idyllic Town

Courthouse Museum in Genoa, Nev. © Glenn Franco Simmons.

by Glenn Franco Simmons

Genoa is an idyllic Nevada frontier town known for its stunning beauty that includes breathtaking views of the Sierra Nevada and Carson Valley.

The charming community is also known for its historic legacy and vibrant community. Courthouse Museum is one of the hidden gems just a short distance away from the main highway.

It was a group of intrepid pioneers who, in 1851, founded Genoa, the state of Nevada’s first town.

One sign has "Court House Museum" and this sign has "Courthouse Museum."

Those settlers sought a fresh start in this verdant yet rugged valley. Genoa was once Douglas County’s county seat, partly because of the thriving commerce that it attracted.

While the types of commerce have evolved over nearly two centuries, Genoa remains a vibrant hub of locals and tourists alike. Just visit any day from spring through the first snowfall and you will find it busy with happy people.

Fourteen years after its founding, townspeople erected the original Douglas County courthouse in 1865.

It had to be “rebuilt after the 1910 fire that decimated the town…,” states a Wikipedia page on Genoa, Nev.

This is the other sign. Maybe it's my eyes.

“In 1916, the county seat was moved to Minden and the courthouse was sold to the Douglas County School District for just $15, then was transformed into an elementary school,” according to Wikipedia. “It served for 40 years as a school before it closed in 1956. In 1969 it was reopened as a museum by the Carson Valley Historical Society.”

Much has changed over the years, but I’m sure there are many still in the area and/or alive who remember being schooled in that grand old building.

It’s similar in size to the two-story (with bell steeple) Garfield Elementary School I attended for three years in the rural, forested valley of Freshwater, Calif.

A memorial plaque dedicated to a popular and talented Nevada artist.

That school was built in the 1880s out of old-growth redwood. In the 1970s, the state government mandated seismic standards that meant the destruction of many beautiful structures, many of which were masonry, brick, stucco, etc.

However, Garfield was constructed out of wood. Nevertheless, the state ordered it destroyed. Local construction crews found out that the old-growth lumber in it was sturdy as cement.

So sturdy, in fact, that the school district had to call in the National Guard’s heavy machinery then located in Cutten, Calif., to remove the huge and heavy redwood beams.

So, ever since my lovely wife Kathleen showed me the courthouse, I’ve wanted to photograph it. She grew up here and told me how lovely Genoa was, which we first visited together two decades ago.

Instead of grabbing my pro gear, I find for blog posts, my smartphone works as well as my old 35mm cameras I used at local community weeklies and dailies over my journalistic career.

There was some mining near Genoa, but most of local mining was in The Comstock.

I plan to go back in summer, when the trees have full foliage. On this March day, it was overcast, then sunny, then in-between on a spectacularly beautiful day.

If you travel to Genoa from Carson City, you can take Jacks Valley Road or the highway. I prefer the old road. It is slower, more scenic (closer to the high peaks and deeper into picturesque Jack’s Valley) and takes just about the same amount of time. Depending on traffic, the highway might actually take more time from where I am located.

While I have not yet gone inside the museum (it is closed in winter), I plan to.

“Today it is a museum with many displays that reflect the history and heritage of the area,” according to Wikipedia. 

I cite Wikipedia because finding information about the museum and its displays is not easy.