Nevada Freemasonry was born in silver mines and stagecoach towns at the dusty edge of the Comstock Lode boom. Before there was a Nevada Territory, before there was a state, there were Masons meeting in Carson City and Virginia City, having brought their Masonic letters from California, Missouri, Utah, and points east. The first chartered lodge in what is now Nevada was Carson Lodge No. 154, chartered in 1862 by the Grand Lodge of California - back when the area was still part of the Utah and Nevada Territories.

Carson City was the territorial capital and the closest town to the Comstock mines, so the lodge included assayers, mining engineers, lawyers, and merchants who built fortunes (and sometimes lost them) on Comstock silver. Within months, Virginia Lodge No. 162 had been chartered in Virginia City, the boomtown that produced more silver than any single mining district in American history. By 1865, four lodges had been chartered under California, and on January 16, 1865, delegates met in Virginia City to form the Grand Lodge of Nevada - the year after Nevada became a state and the year of Lincoln's assassination.

John D. Winters was elected the first Grand Master. Throughout the late 19th century, Nevada Masonry rose and fell with the boom-bust cycles of mining: lodges thrived in Tonopah, Goldfield, Eureka, and Pioche when silver and gold were flowing, then went dark when the mines played out. The 20th century brought new growth as Reno's casinos and Las Vegas's gambling industry transformed the state's economy.

The Grand Lodge of Nevada today is headquartered in Reno and oversees lodges across one of the most demographically and geographically varied small states in the country.

Oldest and Most Historic Lodges in Nevada

Nevada Lodge No. 1 in Virginia City is the senior lodge in the state. Originally chartered as Virginia Lodge No. 162 by California in 1862, it was renumbered as Lodge No.

1 when the Grand Lodge of Nevada was formed in 1865. The lodge counts among its early members several of the most colorful figures of Comstock-era Nevada. Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) had visited the lodge during his time as a Virginia City newspaper reporter in the early 1860s, though his actual Masonic raising occurred in Polar Star Lodge No. 79 in Saint Louis.

Carson Lodge No. 1 (renumbered from California's No. 154) is essentially co-senior - the two lodges share founding-era status. Escurial Lodge No.

7 in Eureka, dating to 1873, served the silver and lead mining boom in central Nevada. Tonopah Lodge No. 28, chartered in 1903, grew up alongside the Tonopah silver discovery, and Goldfield Lodge No. 31, chartered in 1907, served the Goldfield gold rush - both towns were briefly among the largest in Nevada and went into decline when the mines played out, though both lodges remain active.

In Reno, Reno Lodge No. 13 dates to 1872 and remains one of the largest and most active lodges in the state. In Las Vegas, Las Vegas Lodge No. 32 was chartered in 1916, just over a decade after Las Vegas was founded as a railroad town.

Daylight Lodge No. 44 in Las Vegas, chartered later, became one of the first daylight (daytime-meeting) lodges in the West, originally serving men who worked nights at casinos and the Hoover Dam construction. Many of these older Nevada lodges meet in historic buildings - the Carson City Masonic Hall and the Virginia City Masonic Hall are particularly historic.

Nevada Masonic Lodges by the Numbers

The Grand Lodge of Nevada oversees approximately 35 to 45 active subordinate lodges with around 3,500 to 4,500 Master Masons. Nevada is one of the smaller Masonic jurisdictions by total membership but has one of the most demographically interesting profiles - members include casino executives, military personnel from Nellis Air Force Base, tech workers from northern Nevada's growing data-center industry, and old-school ranchers from the rural counties. Lodge density is highest in the Las Vegas metro and the Reno-Sparks-Carson City area, with smaller but historically important lodges in Elko, Ely, Tonopah, Goldfield, Pioche, and Winnemucca. The Grand Lodge holds its annual communication in November, typically in Reno or Las Vegas on rotating years.

Nevada has Scottish Rite Valleys in Reno and Las Vegas, an active York Rite presence, and Shrine activity through Kerak Shriners and El Zaribah Shriners. The Grand Lodge supports the Masonic Foundation of Nevada, which funds scholarships and charitable work.

How to Become a Freemason in Nevada

Joining a Nevada lodge follows the standard process. The minimum age in Nevada is 18, and candidates must believe in a Supreme Being and be of good moral character. Step one: find a lodge near you. With Nevada's geography, the closest lodge could be in your neighborhood (in Las Vegas) or 200 miles away (in the Great Basin).

Use LodgeFinder or the Grand Lodge of Nevada website. Reach out to a member or attend a public event - many Nevada lodges host community dinners or open houses. Once you decide to petition, two current Brothers in good standing must sign your petition as recommenders. Submit it with the application fee.

An investigation committee of two or three Brothers will visit you, typically at home, to discuss your background, family, employment, and motivations for seeking membership. They report back to the lodge, which votes by secret ballot. If accepted, you'll be scheduled for your Entered Apprentice degree. Nevada lodges follow standard proficiency requirements - you'll memorize portions of the ritual and demonstrate them before the lodge before advancing.

The Three Degrees usually take three to six months. Some Nevada lodges offer condensed schedules to accommodate members with shift work, especially in casino-heavy Las Vegas where many candidates work non-standard hours. Initiation fees in Nevada generally run $200 to $500, and annual dues range from $80 to $250.

Notable Nevada Freemasons in History

Nevada Masonry has produced and attracted a colorful list of notable Masons. Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) lived in Virginia City and reported on Comstock-era Masonic activities, though his Masonic raising occurred earlier in Saint Louis. William Stewart, U.S. Senator from Nevada and one of the principal authors of the 15th Amendment to the U.S.

Constitution, was a Mason. Francis G. Newlands, Nevada senator and architect of the Reclamation Act of 1902 that funded Western water projects, was a Mason. Key Pittman, U.S.

Senator and President pro tempore of the Senate, was a Nevada Mason. Pat McCarran, the powerful U.S. Senator who lent his name to the McCarran-Ferguson Act and McCarran International Airport, was a Mason. Senator Howard Cannon, Governor Vail Pittman, and Senator Alan Bible all had Masonic affiliations.

In the entertainment world, Nevada has been home to many Masons drawn from the casino industry and Hollywood circles. Tom Wiesner, Las Vegas civic leader and Grand Master of Nevada, exemplifies the modern Nevada Mason. Among the storied Nevadans whose Masonic membership is well-documented are several governors, mining magnates, and civic builders who made the state what it is today. Wyatt Earp, while best known for his Tombstone, Arizona, days, spent significant time in Nevada (Tonopah) and is connected to that era of Nevada Masonry through associates and contemporaries.

Prince Hall Freemasonry in Nevada

Prince Hall Freemasonry in Nevada is organized under the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Nevada, headquartered in Las Vegas. Prince Hall Masonry came to Nevada relatively late compared to other states, primarily following World War II when African American military families and migrant workers settled in Las Vegas to staff the booming hotel and casino industry, the Hoover Dam construction, and Nellis Air Force Base. The first Prince Hall lodges in Nevada were chartered under the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of California (which historically held jurisdiction over much of the West). Nevada's Prince Hall lodges later organized into their own independent Grand Lodge.

Las Vegas, with its historic Westside neighborhood, became the center of Prince Hall activity in Nevada. Lodges have also been active in North Las Vegas, Reno, and on Nellis AFB. Prince Hall Masonry in Nevada served as a critical institution during the era of segregation in Las Vegas, when African Americans were excluded from the Strip casinos despite working in them; the lodge hall provided a fraternal space for Black professionals, civil servants, and entertainers. Notable Prince Hall Masons in Nevada history include leaders of the local civil rights movement and members of the Las Vegas NAACP.

The Grand Lodge of Nevada A.F. & A.M. and the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Nevada have established mutual recognition, allowing Brothers from each tradition to visit and fellowship in each other's lodges.

Frequently Asked Questions about Masonic Lodges in Nevada

When did Masonry come to Nevada?

The first chartered Masonic lodge in Nevada was Carson Lodge No. 154, chartered in 1862 by the Grand Lodge of California. The Grand Lodge of Nevada itself was organized in Virginia City on January 16, 1865, the year after Nevada became a state.

Where is the Grand Lodge of Nevada headquartered?

The Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of Nevada is headquartered in Reno. It oversees lodges across the state, from the Las Vegas metro to remote mining and ranching towns in Elko County.

How big is Nevada Masonry?

The Grand Lodge of Nevada has approximately 35 to 45 active lodges and around 3,500 to 4,500 Master Masons. Nevada is one of the smaller jurisdictions by raw numbers but has a culturally diverse membership reflecting the state's casino, military, mining, and ranching industries.

Was Mark Twain a member of a Nevada lodge?

Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) lived in Virginia City as a newspaper reporter in the early 1860s and interacted with Nevada Masons, but he was actually raised a Master Mason in Polar Star Lodge No. 79 in Saint Louis, Missouri, in 1861.

What's the oldest Masonic lodge in Nevada?

Nevada Lodge No. 1 in Virginia City and Carson Lodge No. 1 in Carson City are both essentially co-senior, dating to 1862 when each was chartered by the Grand Lodge of California before Nevada had its own grand jurisdiction.