New Hampshire is one of the original Masonic strongholds in America. The fraternity arrived in the colony when sea captains, merchants, and British military officers carried Masonic warrants from London, Boston, and the West Indies. The first lodge in New Hampshire was Saint John's Lodge No. 1, chartered in 1734 in Portsmouth - making it one of the oldest continuously meeting Masonic lodges in North America.

The charter came from the Provincial Grand Master of New England, Henry Price, who himself had been deputized by the Grand Lodge of England. By the time of the American Revolution, New Hampshire had several active lodges, and many of the colony's leading patriots were Masons - including delegates to the Continental Congress, Revolutionary War officers, and signers of the Declaration of Independence. The Grand Lodge of New Hampshire was organized on July 8, 1789, in Dover, when delegates from five lodges - Saint John's of Portsmouth, Saint Patrick's of Portsmouth, Rising Sun of Keene, Dartmouth of Hanover, and North Star of Lancaster - met to declare independence from Massachusetts and Provincial governance. John Sullivan, the Revolutionary War general and Governor of New Hampshire, was elected the first Grand Master.

The 19th century brought the famous Anti-Masonic backlash following the Morgan Affair of 1826, which hit New Hampshire as hard as it did most northern states - membership plummeted, several lodges surrendered their charters, and the fraternity nearly went extinct. New Hampshire Masonry slowly rebuilt through the mid-19th century and saw a long period of growth into the 20th century. Today the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire is headquartered in Manchester and oversees about 65 active lodges across the state, from the seacoast to the North Country.

Oldest and Most Historic Lodges in New Hampshire

Saint John's Lodge No. 1 in Portsmouth is the senior lodge in New Hampshire and one of the oldest in North America. Chartered in 1734, it has met continuously for nearly 300 years. The lodge's early members included Portsmouth merchants and sea captains whose names are stitched into colonial New England history.

Some of the original ledger books and jewels are preserved and occasionally displayed. Saint Patrick's Lodge No. 4 in Portsmouth, chartered in 1779, was originally a military lodge attached to a Revolutionary War regiment and later settled permanently in Portsmouth. Rising Sun Lodge No.

6 in Keene dates to 1784. Dartmouth Lodge No. 9 in Hanover, chartered in 1788, has long been associated with Dartmouth College and has counted multiple college presidents and faculty among its members. North Star Lodge No.

8 in Lancaster, chartered 1788, served the upper Connecticut River Valley. Other senior lodges include Saint Andrew's Lodge No. 2 in Hanover (originally chartered in 1761 and one of the oldest in northern New England), Saint John's Lodge No. 5 in Portsmouth (a different Saint John's lodge serving the city), and Trinity Lodge No.

3, also of Portsmouth. Aurora Lodge No. 23 in Concord, the state capital, dates to 1812 and remains a flagship lodge. Many of these older New Hampshire lodges meet in historic Federalist or Greek Revival buildings, often the most architecturally distinguished structure in their town.

Lodge halls in Portsmouth, Keene, Hanover, and Concord still display original 18th- and 19th-century Tracing Boards, charters, and Masonic furniture - genuine museum pieces still in regular use.

New Hampshire Masonic Lodges by the Numbers

The Grand Lodge of New Hampshire currently oversees approximately 60 to 70 active lodges with around 4,000 to 4,800 Master Masons - down from a mid-20th-century peak of around 17,000 members. Lodge density is highest in the Manchester-Nashua corridor, the seacoast (Portsmouth, Dover, Rochester), the Concord area, and the Upper Valley around Hanover-Lebanon. The North Country and White Mountains region has fewer but historically important lodges in towns like Berlin, Lancaster, Whitefield, and North Conway. The Grand Lodge holds its annual communication in May, typically at the Grand Lodge headquarters in Manchester.

The New Hampshire Masonic Charitable Foundation funds scholarships, youth programs, and Masonic care services. New Hampshire has Scottish Rite Valleys in Concord, Nashua, and Portsmouth, plus active York Rite bodies and Shriners (Bektash Shriners). The Grand Lodge maintains a museum and archive at its Manchester headquarters with significant colonial-era and Revolutionary War-era Masonic artifacts.

How to Become a Freemason in New Hampshire

Petitioning a New Hampshire lodge follows the standard process with some New England flavor. The minimum age is 18, you'll need to believe in a Supreme Being, and you must be of good moral character. Find a lodge - with New Hampshire being a small state, you're rarely more than 30 minutes from one - by using LodgeFinder or visiting the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire site. Most lodges welcome you to attend a public dinner or open house to meet members.

New Hampshire lodges have a tradition of community suppers, especially around the holidays, where prospective members can meet Brothers in a relaxed setting. Once you decide to petition, two current Brothers in good standing must recommend and sign. You'll submit the petition with the application fee. An investigation committee of two or three Brothers will visit you - this is one of the most time-honored parts of the process in New Hampshire Masonry, and the committees take it seriously.

They'll meet your family, ask about your background, and report to the lodge. The lodge votes by secret ballot. Once accepted, you're scheduled for your Entered Apprentice degree. New Hampshire requires proficiency examinations between degrees - you'll learn portions of the ritual and demonstrate them before the lodge.

The Three Degrees usually take three to six months. Some lodges hold one-day classes or shorter conferral schedules. Initiation fees in New Hampshire typically run $150 to $400, and annual dues range from $75 to $200.

Notable New Hampshire Freemasons in History

New Hampshire Masonry has counted among its members many of the founders of the state and several national figures. John Sullivan, Revolutionary War general, member of the Continental Congress, Governor of New Hampshire, and the first Grand Master of New Hampshire, was a leading figure in early American Masonry. Daniel Webster, the famous orator, U.S. Senator, Secretary of State, and one of the most influential American statesmen of the 19th century, was a Mason and a New Hampshire native (born in Salisbury, NH).

Franklin Pierce, the 14th President of the United States and a New Hampshire native, was a Mason - though his presidency is often remembered as one of the more troubled in U.S. history. Salmon P. Chase, U.S.

Senator, Treasury Secretary under Lincoln, and Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, was a New Hampshire-born Mason. John P. Hale, abolitionist senator, was a Mason.

New Hampshire Governors Levi Woodbury, Benjamin Pierce (father of Franklin Pierce), and many others were Masons. In the literary world, Robert Frost, who farmed in Derry, New Hampshire, was not a Mason but lived among them. Horace Greeley, the famed newspaper editor and 1872 presidential candidate, was a New Hampshire native; some sources connect him to Masonic circles. The Grand Lodge of New Hampshire's roster of historical members reads like a who's-who of early American politics, jurisprudence, and trade.

Prince Hall Freemasonry in New Hampshire

Prince Hall Freemasonry's New Hampshire footprint is small but historically meaningful. New Hampshire's African American population has historically been small, and Prince Hall lodges in northern New England have generally been chartered through neighboring Prince Hall jurisdictions, particularly the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts (which is the original Prince Hall Grand Lodge, descending directly from Prince Hall himself). Prince Hall, the founder of Black Freemasonry, was initiated into a military lodge attached to a British regiment stationed in Boston in 1775, and his African Lodge No. 459 became the seed for Prince Hall Masonry across America.

Lodges chartered under the Massachusetts Prince Hall jurisdiction have historically served Black Masons in New Hampshire, particularly in the Manchester, Portsmouth, and Nashua areas. The Grand Lodge of New Hampshire and the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts have entered into mutual recognition, and Brothers from each jurisdiction can visit and fellowship in each other's lodges. The legacy of Prince Hall himself is particularly relevant to New England, since the very founding act of Prince Hall Masonry took place just down the road in Boston. For specific lodge information, contact the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, which oversees Prince Hall Masonic activity in New Hampshire.

Frequently Asked Questions about Masonic Lodges in New Hampshire

How old is New Hampshire Freemasonry?

Saint John's Lodge No. 1 in Portsmouth was chartered in 1734, making it one of the oldest continuously operating Masonic lodges in North America. New Hampshire's Grand Lodge was organized in 1789, the same year George Washington was inaugurated as President.

Was Franklin Pierce a Freemason?

Yes. Franklin Pierce, the 14th U.S. President and a New Hampshire native, was a Master Mason. He was raised in his home state and remained connected to the fraternity throughout his political career.

Where is the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire headquartered?

The Grand Lodge of New Hampshire F. & A.M. is headquartered in Manchester, New Hampshire. The Grand Lodge office and museum hold significant Revolutionary War and colonial-era Masonic artifacts.

How many lodges are there in New Hampshire?

The Grand Lodge of New Hampshire oversees approximately 60 to 70 active subordinate lodges with around 4,000 to 4,800 Master Masons across the state.

Was Daniel Webster a Mason?

Yes. Daniel Webster, the famous American statesman, U.S. Senator, and Secretary of State, was a Master Mason and a New Hampshire native. His Masonic affiliations and speeches at Masonic gatherings are part of New England Masonic history.