Louisiana Masonic Lodges

About Freemasonry in Louisiana

A deep look at Masonic history, the oldest lodges, the admission process, and notable Freemasons connected to Louisiana.

History of Freemasonry in Louisiana

Louisiana's Masonic story is unlike any other state's, and that's because Louisiana itself is unlike any other state. Long before it joined the United States, Louisiana was French, then Spanish, then briefly French again, and Masonry arrived through every one of those colonial channels. The earliest documented Masonic activity in Louisiana goes back to French military lodges operating in New Orleans in the 1750s and 1760s under the Grande Loge de France, though most of those records are fragmentary. The first stable, chartered lodge in Louisiana was La Parfaite Union (Perfect Union) Lodge, founded in New Orleans in 1793 under a charter from the Grand Lodge of South Carolina.

Spanish authorities, who controlled Louisiana from 1763 to 1803, officially banned Freemasonry, but in practice they tolerated lodges in New Orleans because of the city's cosmopolitan character and economic importance. After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, Anglo-American Masons flooded into New Orleans, and by 1812 — the same year Louisiana became a state — the Grand Lodge of Louisiana was organized. From day one, Louisiana Masonry was unusually multicultural and multilingual. Lodges worked in French, Spanish, English, and even German, and the rituals reflected influences from the French Rite, the Scottish Rite, and the York Rite simultaneously.

New Orleans became one of the most important Masonic cities in the Americas in the 19th century, second perhaps only to Charleston, South Carolina, in its concentration of high-degree bodies. The Scottish Rite's Southern Jurisdiction has deep roots in New Orleans, and Cerneau-tradition lodges, French-rite lodges, and Anglo-American lodges all coexisted (sometimes uneasily) for decades. The 19th century brought yellow fever epidemics that decimated entire lodges, the Civil War that split the state's Masons across battle lines, and Reconstruction. Louisiana's African American Masonic tradition is equally old and rich.

The 20th century saw consolidation, modernization, and the typical post-1960s membership decline. But Louisiana Masonry today still carries the unmistakable flavor of its French Creole and Spanish colonial origins.

Oldest and Most Historic Lodges in Louisiana

Perfect Union Lodge No. 1 (originally La Parfaite Union) in New Orleans is the oldest lodge in Louisiana with continuous records, founded in 1793 under a South Carolina charter. It's worked under the Grand Lodge of Louisiana since the latter's founding in 1812, and its early minute books are written in French. Polar Star Lodge No.

1 (L'Étoile Polaire) was chartered in 1798 and remains one of the most historically prestigious New Orleans lodges, having been the spiritual home of generations of French Creole and French-immigrant Masons. The lodge was a key player in early Louisiana politics and produced numerous governors, judges, and military officers. Concord Lodge No. 3 in New Orleans, chartered in 1812, was instrumental in the founding of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana itself.

Marion Lodge No. 68 in Baton Rouge, chartered in the mid-19th century, is among the older surviving lodges in the state capital. Other notable historic lodges include Friends of Harmony Lodge No. 58 (Les Amis de la Concorde) in New Orleans, chartered in 1822 and historically working in French.

Many of Louisiana's oldest lodges meet in beautiful French Quarter or Garden District buildings, some with original 19th-century furniture, hand-painted lodge banners, and minute books in three languages. The Scottish Rite Cathedral of New Orleans, while not technically a Blue Lodge, is one of the most architecturally important Masonic buildings in America and represents the deep Scottish Rite tradition that emerged in Louisiana in the early 1800s. If you visit historic New Orleans Masonic buildings, you can still see plaques, dedication stones, and inscriptions in French and Spanish dating to the early federal period.

Louisiana Masonic Lodges by the Numbers

The Grand Lodge of Louisiana oversees approximately 220 to 240 active subordinate lodges in 2026, with total membership of roughly 13,000 to 15,000 Master Masons. The membership skews toward southern Louisiana, with the heaviest concentrations in Orleans Parish, Jefferson Parish, East Baton Rouge Parish, and Caddo Parish (Shreveport). North Louisiana has its own distinct Masonic culture more closely aligned with Mississippi and east Texas Masonry, while south Louisiana retains traces of its French and Spanish heritage. The Grand Lodge maintains its headquarters in Alexandria, a central Louisiana location chosen for its accessibility from both regions.

Average lodge size is around 60 members. Louisiana has lost roughly 60% of its peak 1960s membership but has stabilized in recent years. The state also maintains an active Scottish Rite presence with Cathedrals in New Orleans, Shreveport, Lake Charles, Baton Rouge, and Monroe.

How to Become a Freemason in Louisiana

Petitioning a Louisiana lodge follows the standard American mainstream Masonic process with some Louisiana flavor. You need to be a man at least 18 years old (some Louisiana lodges still prefer 21), a believer in a Supreme Being, and of good moral character. To start, contact a lodge directly or visit during one of their public dinners — Louisiana lodges, especially in Cajun Country and Acadiana, host extraordinary food events that are great for getting to know members. After meeting members and deciding it's a good fit, you'll request a petition, which must be signed by two current Master Masons in the lodge.

The lodge will form an investigation committee that visits you, ideally at your home, to discuss your background and motivations. Louisiana investigations tend to be a bit more relaxed and conversational than in some northern states — expect coffee, possibly food, and a real chat. The lodge then votes by secret ballot. Once accepted, you progress through three degrees: Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft, and Master Mason.

In Louisiana, you may encounter lodges that perform their ritual work in French — particularly Perfect Union and Polar Star — though most lodges work in English. Initiation fees typically run $200 to $500, with annual dues of $75 to $200. The Grand Lodge of Louisiana also has a robust 'Mason at Sight' tradition for unique cases, which is uncommon elsewhere but reflects the state's flexibility. Most candidates become Master Masons within four to nine months.

Notable Louisiana Freemasons in History

Louisiana's notable Masons span politics, military history, and the arts. Andrew Jackson, while not initiated in Louisiana, was famously assisted by New Orleans Masons during the Battle of New Orleans in January 1815, and his close ties to the Louisiana lodges shaped his subsequent presidency. Pierre G.T. Beauregard, the Confederate general who ordered the firing on Fort Sumter, was a New Orleans Mason and member of Étoile Polaire.

Judah P. Benjamin, the brilliant lawyer who served as Confederate Secretary of State (and the first Jewish U.S. senator from Louisiana), was a Mason. Jean Lafitte, the famous Louisiana pirate-privateer, has been long claimed by Louisiana Masonic legend, though his actual membership is unverified.

Edward Douglass White, Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court from 1910 to 1921, was a Louisiana Mason. Huey P. Long, the legendary populist Louisiana governor and U.S.

senator, was a Mason — though his political style was famously unconventional, his lodge ties helped him build the political networks that made his career. Russell Long, his son and a long-serving U.S. senator, was also a Mason. In the cultural realm, Louis Armstrong was reportedly affiliated with a Prince Hall lodge, and several New Orleans jazz musicians of the early 20th century were Prince Hall Masons.

Edwin Edwards, four-time Louisiana governor, was a Mason. The list reflects how integral Masonry has been to Louisiana's political, legal, and cultural elite for over two centuries.

Prince Hall Freemasonry in Louisiana

Louisiana has one of the most historically significant Prince Hall jurisdictions in the South, with deep roots stretching to the antebellum free Black community of New Orleans. The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Louisiana was officially organized in 1863 in New Orleans, during the Union occupation of the city — making it one of the very first Prince Hall grand lodges established in the South. New Orleans had a uniquely large free Black population before the Civil War (the gens de couleur libres), many of whom were prosperous artisans, business owners, and intellectuals. Some had even traveled to France or Haiti and been initiated in Masonic lodges abroad before returning to Louisiana.

After Emancipation, this community provided the foundation for an explosive growth in Black Masonic activity. By the late 19th century, MWPHGL Louisiana had lodges in every major Louisiana city, with particularly strong communities in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, Lake Charles, and Monroe. The jurisdiction has been deeply involved in civil rights organizing throughout its history — Prince Hall lodges hosted NAACP meetings during the segregation era, and many Louisiana civil rights leaders were Prince Hall Masons. The Grand Lodge of Louisiana extended formal recognition to MWPHGL Louisiana in 2010, joining the growing wave of Southern states normalizing relations between their two grand lodges.

Today MWPHGL Louisiana oversees roughly 70 to 90 subordinate lodges with several thousand members, headquartered in New Orleans. It remains one of the most culturally vibrant Prince Hall jurisdictions in America.

Frequently Asked Questions about Masonic Lodges in Louisiana

Sources & Further Reading

• https://www.la-mason.com/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Lodge_of_Louisiana
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Most_Worshipful_Prince_Hall_Grand_Lodge_of_Louisiana
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry_in_Louisiana
• https://www.scottishrite.org/