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This is a chronology of the formation of "regular" or "mainstream" Masonic Grand Lodges in North America, descending from the Premier Grand Lodge of England or its rival, the Antient Grand Lodge of England. A Grand Lodge (or "Grand Orient" as it is called in some jurisdictions elsewhere in the world) is the governing body that supervises "Craft" Freemasonry (also known as "Blue Lodge" Freemasonry) in a particular jurisdiction or geographical area.
The following Grand Lodges were formed by pre-existing "Time Immemorial" lodges (lodges that predated the concept of having Grand Lodges to supervise and coordinate the craft, and thus were retained as having existed from "time immemorial").
Premier Grand Lodge of England - est. June 24, 1717 - (Merged with Ancient Grand Lodge of England, or "The Ancients", to form the United Grand Lodge of England in 1813) [1] 
Grand Lodge of Ireland - est. June 24, 1725 [2] 
Grand Lodge of Scotland - est. 1736 [3] Ancient Grand Lodge of England - est. 1751 - (Merged with Premier Grand Lodge of England, or "The Moderns", to form the United Grand Lodge of England in 1813) [1] Freemasonry spread from the British Isles during the Colonial Era. All of the "original" Grand Lodges began to issue charters to individual lodges in North America, but the two English Grand Lodges (the "Ancients" and the "Moderns") were the most prolific. Starting in 1730 The Grand Lodge of England (Moderns) began to issue Warrants for Provincial Grand Lodges in the colonies. Initially, these Warrants were issued to individuals, to act as deputies for the Grand Master in a given area for fixed periods of time, and some confusion resulted due to overlapping jurisdictions. To confuse matters further, with the formation of the Antient Grand Lodge, rival Provincial Grand Lodges were chartered under their jurisdiction.
"Coxe" Provincial Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, & New York (Moderns) - Est. 1730 - by warrant issued to Daniel Coxe by GLE for two years, allowing for a successor to be elected. Granted jurisdiction over Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. Successors claimed jurisdiction only over Pennsylvania. The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania dates itself from the formation of this Provincial Grand Lodge. [4] [5] Provincial Grand Lodge of New England (Moderns) - Est. 1733 by warrant given to Henry Price. The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts dates itself from the formation of this Provincial Grand Lodge. Provincial Grand Lodge of South Carolina - Est. 1736 [6] Provincial Grand Lodge of North Carolina - (Moderns) Est. 1771 - Warrant issued by GLE to Col. Joseph Montfort (1771-1776) and then his Deputy, Cornelius Harnett (1776-1781) [7] Provincial Grand Lodge of New York (Moderns) - 1738-1780s - Warrants issued by GLE (Moderns) to Francis Goelet (1738–1753), to George Harrison (1753–1771), to Sir John Johnson (from 1771). As Johnson was a Loyalist during the American Revolution, he is believed to have taken his warrant with him when he fled to Canada, thus leaving the Moderns Lodges without a Provincial Grand Master. [8] Provincial Grand Lodge for North America (Scotland) - Est. 1757 - By warrant issued to Colonel John Young. [9] Provincial Grand Lodge of Canada - Est. 1759 (Became PGL of Lower Canada, i.e. Quebec, in 1792) [10] Provincial Grand Lodge for Pennsylvania (Ancients) - Est. 1761 - By Warrant issued to William Ball. [11] Provincial Grand Lodge of New York ("Athol Charter" - Ancients) - 1781-1784 - Although this PGL was Warranted by the "Ancients", the final Provincial Grand Master, Chancellor Robert R. Livingston (PGM: 1784-87), was actually the Master of a Lodge under the Jurisdiction of the Moderns, thus uniting the two branches of English Freemasonry in New York State. Livingston continued in office as the first Grand Master of the independent GL of NY. [8] Provincial Grand Lodge of Upper Canada - Est. 1792 [12] After the American Revolution and, again, after the incorporation of Canada, the various Provincial Grand Lodges in North America were closed, and the Lodges in each State or Province formed independent Grand Lodges. These in turn, chartered lodges in the territories in the West and North. As each new State or Province came into being, the lodges that had been chartered within its borders gathered together and formed new Grand Lodges.
Grand Lodge of Virginia - Est. 1778 [13] 
Grand Lodge of New York - Est. 1782 (declared itself Independent Grand Lodge on June 6, 1787) [14] 
Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania - Est. 1786 [15] (Continuation of "Coxe" Prov. G.L. & Prov. G.L. of Penna. See above.)
Grand Lodge of Georgia - Est. December 16, 1786 [16] 
Grand Lodge of New Jersey - Est. December 18, 1786 [17] [18] 
Grand Lodge of Maryland - Est. December 9, 1787 [18] [19] 
Grand Lodge of North Carolina - Est. December 9, 1787 [18] [20] 
Grand Lodge of South Carolina - Est. 1788 [21] 
Grand Lodge of Connecticut - Est. 1789 [22] 
Grand Lodge of New Hampshire - Est. 1789 [23] 
Grand Lodge of Rhode Island - Est. 1791 [18] [24] 
Grand Lodge of Massachusetts - Est. 1792 (continuation of PGL of New England (see above).
Grand Lodge of Vermont - Est. 1794 [25] 
Grand Lodge of Kentucky - Est. 1800 [26] 
Grand Lodge of Delaware - Est. 1806 [27] 
Grand Lodge of Ohio - Est. 1808 [28] 
Grand Lodge of the District of Columbia - Est. 1811 [29] 
Grand Lodge of Louisiana - Est. 1812 [30] 
Grand Lodge of Tennessee - Est. 1813 [31] 
Grand Lodge of Indiana - Est. January 13, 1818 [32] 
Grand Lodge of Mississippi - Est. July 27, 1818 [33] 
Grand Lodge of Maine - Est. 1820 [34] 
Grand Lodge of Missouri - Est. April 21, 1821 [35] 
Grand Lodge of Alabama - Est. June 11, 1821 [36] [37] 
Grand Lodge of Michigan - Est. 1826 [38] 
Grand Lodge of Florida - Est. 1830 [18] [39] 
Grand Lodge of Texas - Est. 1838 [40] 
Grand Lodge Of Illinois- Est. 1840 - previous Grand Lodge in existence: 1822-1827 [41] 
Grand Lodge of Wisconsin - Est. 1843 [42] 
Grand Lodge of Iowa - Est. 1844 [43] 
Grand Lodge of California - Est. 1850 [44] 
Grand Lodge of Oregon - Est. 1851 [18] [45] 
Grand Lodge of Minnesota - Est. 1853 [46] 
Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario - Est. 1855 [12] 
Grand Lodge of Kansas - Est. 1856 [47] 
Grand Lodge of Nebraska - Est. 1857 [48] [49] 
Grand Lodge of Washington State - Est. 1858 [18] [50] 
Grand Lodge of Colorado - Est. 1861 [18] 
Grand Lodge of Nevada - Est. January 17, 1865 [51] 
Grand Lodge of West Virginia - Est. April 12, 1865 [18] [52] 
Grand Lodge of Montana - Est. January 24, 1866 [53] 
Grand Lodge of Nova Scotia - Est. February 20, 1866 [54] 
Grand Lodge of Idaho - Est. December 17, 1867 [18] [55] 
Grand Lodge of British Columbia and Yukon - Est. December 24, 1867 [56] 
Grand Lodge of New Brunswick - Est. 1868 [57] 
Grand Lodge of Quebec - Est. 1869 [10] 
Grand Lodge of Utah - Est. 1872 [58] Grand Lodge of the Indian Territory - Est. Oct. 6, 1874 (Reestablished in 1892 as Grand Lodge of Oklahoma) [18] 
Grand Lodge of Wyoming - Est. December 15, 1874 [59] [60] 
Grand Lodge of Manitoba - Est. May 12, 1875 [61] 
Grand Lodge of Prince Edward Island - Est. June 23, 1875 [62] 
Grand Lodge of New Mexico - Est. 1877 [63] 
Grand Lodge of Arizona - Est. 1882 [64] [65] 
Grand Lodge of North Dakota - Est. 1889 [66] 
Grand Lodge of Oklahoma - Est. 1892 (Replaced the Grand Lodge of Indian Territory) [18] 
Grand Lodge of Alberta - Est. 1905 [67] 
Grand Lodge of Saskatchewan - Est. August 9, 1906 [68] 
Grand Lodge of Alaska Est. 1981 [69] 
Grand Lodge of Hawaii Est. 1989 [70] 
Grand Lodge of Newfoundland and Labrador - Est. 1997 [71] 
Freemasonry or Masonry refers to various fraternal organisations that trace their origins to the local guilds of stonemasons that, from the end of the 14th century, regulated the qualifications of stonemasons and their interaction with authorities and clients. Freemasonry is the oldest fraternity in the world and among the oldest continued organizations in history.
The Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry is a rite within the broader context of Freemasonry. It is the most widely practiced Rite in the world. In some parts of the world, and in the Droit Humain, it is a concordant body and oversees all degrees from the 1st to 33rd degrees, while in other areas, a Supreme Council oversees the 4th to 33rd degrees.
A Masonic lodge, also called a private lodge or constituent lodge, is the basic organisational unit of Freemasonry.
The history of Freemasonry encompasses the origins, evolution and defining events of the fraternal organisation known as Freemasonry. It covers three phases. Firstly, the emergence of organised lodges of operative masons during the Middle Ages, then the admission of lay members as "accepted" or "speculative" masons, and finally the evolution of purely speculative lodges, and the emergence of Grand Lodges to govern them. The watershed in this process is generally taken to be the formation of the first Grand Lodge in London in 1717. The two difficulties facing historians are the paucity of written material, even down to the 19th century, and the misinformation generated by masons and non-masons alike from the earliest years.
The United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE) is the governing Masonic lodge for the majority of freemasons in England, Wales, and the Commonwealth of Nations. Claiming descent from the Masonic Grand Lodge formed 24 June 1717 at the Goose & Gridiron Tavern in London, it is considered to be the oldest Masonic Grand Lodge in the world, together with the Grand Lodge of Scotland, and the Grand Lodge of Ireland.
Prince Hall Freemasonry is a branch of North American Freemasonry created for African Americans founded by Prince Hall on September 29, 1784. Prince Hall Freemasonry is the oldest and largest predominantly African-American fraternity in the United States.
Freemasonry in Malta has a lengthy history dating from the eighteenth century. The main masonic influences have been from the United Grand Lodge of England, the Grand Lodge of Scotland, and the Grand Lodge of Ireland. Today Regular Freemasonry is under the jurisdiction of the English Constitution since 1815, the Sovereign Grand Lodge of Malta, which was formed in 2004 as well as the Grand Lodge of Scotland.
The Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, officially The Right Worshipful Grand Lodge of the Most Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania and Masonic Jurisdictions Thereunto Belonging, sometimes referred to as Freemasons of Pennsylvania, is the premier masonic organization in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Grand Lodge claims to be the oldest in the United States, and the third-oldest in the world after England and Ireland, having been originally established as the Provincial Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in 1731. This claim is disputed by both the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts and the Grand Lodge of Virginia.
There are many organisations and orders which form part of the widespread fraternity of Freemasonry, each having its own structure and terminology. Collectively these may be referred to as Masonic bodies, Masonic orders, Concordant bodies or appendant bodies of Freemasonry.
The Grand Lodge of Ancient Free & Accepted Masons of the State of Connecticut is the main governing body of Freemasonry in the U.S. state of Connecticut as recognized by the United Grand Lodge of England. The Grand Lodge of Connecticut is headquartered at Wallingford, Connecticut.
The Book of Constitutions of this Grand Lodge or Ahiman Rezon was a constitution written by Laurence Dermott for the Ancient Grand Lodge of England which was formed in 1751. The formation of the Ancient Grand Lodge brought together lodges and Masons who, believing themselves to be part of an older, original Masonic tradition, had chosen not to ally themselves with the previously formed Moderns Grand Lodge of 1717.
The Ancient Grand Lodge of England, as it is known today, or The Grand Lodge of the Most Ancient and Honourable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons as they described themselves on their warrants, was a rival Grand Lodge to the Premier Grand Lodge of England. It existed from 1751 until 1813 when the United Grand Lodge of England was created from the two Grand Lodges. They are now called the Antients, in contrast to the Moderns, the original Grand Lodge which its critics, notably Laurence Dermott, said had moved away from the ritual of Scotland, Ireland, and now the Antient Grand Lodge. This Grand Lodge was also informally called the Atholl Grand Lodge because the Third and Fourth Dukes of Atholl presided over it as Grand Masters for half of its 62-year existence.
The organisation now known as the Premier Grand Lodge of England was founded on 24 June 1717 as the Grand Lodge of London and Westminster. Originally concerned with the practice of Freemasonry in London and Westminster, it soon became known as the Grand Lodge of England. Because it was the first Masonic Grand Lodge to be created, modern convention now calls it the Premier Grand Lodge of England in order to distinguish it from the Most Ancient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons according to the Old Constitutions, usually referred to as the Ancient Grand Lodge of England, and the Grand Lodge of All England Meeting at York. It existed until 1813, when it united with the Ancient Grand Lodge of England to create the United Grand Lodge of England.
The Grand Lodge of New York, officially the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of New York, is the largest and oldest of several organizations of Freemasons that are based in the U.S. state of New York. The offices of the Grand Lodge are located at Masonic Hall in New York City.
A Research lodge is a particular type of Masonic lodge which is devoted to Masonic research. It is a lodge, and as such has a charter from some Grand Lodge. However, it does not confer degrees, and restricts membership to Master Masons of some jurisdiction in amity with the jurisdiction that the research lodge is in. Related to research lodges are Masonic research societies, which serve the same purpose but function fundamentally differently. There are research lodges in most countries where Freemasonry exists.
Freemasonry in Germany started in several places during the second quarter of the Eighteenth century. After the extinction of the Rite of Strict Observance, which had a wide following and claimed Templar origins for its higher degrees, the several Grand Lodges in Germany defied all attempts at unification, although a largely ineffectual central organisation came into being with the unification of Germany. During the 1920s Freemasons were harassed alongside Jews by those taken in by the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, and blamed for the German surrender of 1918. This culminated with the suppression of Freemasonry by the Nazis in 1935, with many Masons in Germany and occupied countries being executed or sent to concentration camps. Freemasonry returned to Germany after World War Two. A single central body now represents five "regular" Grand Lodges. Liberal, women's, and mixed lodges also exist.
Freemasonry in Scotland in lodges chartered by the Grand Lodge of Scotland comprises the Scottish Masonic Constitution as regular Masonic jurisdiction for the majority of freemasons in Scotland. There are also lodges operating under the Scottish Masonic Constitution in countries outside of Scotland. Many of these are countries linked to Scotland and the United Kingdom through the Commonwealth of Nations and prior colonies and other settlements of the British Empire although there are several lodges in countries such as Lebanon, Belgium, Chile and Peru, which do not have such connections.
The Grand Lodge of North Carolina, formally the Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina, was formed on December 12, 1787. Previously, it was the Provincial Grand Lodge of North Carolina, being under jurisdiction of the Premier Grand Lodge of England since January 14, 1771. It is currently composed of 354 active lodges across the 100 counties of North Carolina. The Grand Lodge recognizes its Prince Hall counterpart, The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of North Carolina and its Jurisdictions, Inc., and maintains co-territorial jurisdiction and encourages visitation between the two entities.
Freemasonry in the United States is the history of Freemasonry as it was introduced from Britain and continues as a major secret society to the present day. It is a fraternal order that brings men together to gain friendship and opportunity for advancement and community progress. It has been nonpolitical except for a period around 1820 when it came under heavy attack in the Northeast. That attack reduced membership, but it recovered and grew after 1850. Growth ended in the late 20th century, and membership has declined.
