New Jersey Masonic Lodges
The complete directory of 68 Masonic lodges across 59 cities in New Jersey.
Top Rated Lodges in New Jersey
Grand Lodge of New Jersey
Grand Lodge of New Jersey F&AM
Founded in 1786
About Freemasonry in New Jersey
A deep look at Masonic history, the oldest lodges, the admission process, and notable Freemasons connected to New Jersey.
History of Freemasonry in New Jersey
New Jersey Freemasonry has roots that go back to the colonial period, when itinerant British military lodges and traveling merchants brought Masonry to the colony. The first chartered Masonic lodge in New Jersey was Saint John's Lodge No. 1 in Newark, chartered in 1761 under the Provincial Grand Lodge of New York. By the time of the American Revolution, several lodges were active across the colony - in Trenton, Princeton, New Brunswick, and Burlington - and many of New Jersey's leading Revolutionary figures were Masons.
New Jersey was, of course, the cockpit of the Revolution; many Continental Army officers stationed at Morristown and other winter quarters held lodge meetings on campaign. The Grand Lodge of New Jersey was organized on December 18, 1786, in New Brunswick, when delegates from five lodges met to declare independence from the New York and Pennsylvania Provincial Grand Lodges that had previously chartered them. David Brearley, a signer of the U.S. Constitution and Chief Justice of New Jersey, was elected the first Grand Master.
The Grand Lodge has the distinction of being one of the original American Grand Lodges established immediately after the Revolution. The 19th century brought the Anti-Masonic backlash following the 1826 Morgan Affair in New York, which severely affected New Jersey Masonry as it did most of the Northeast. Membership plummeted, and many lodges surrendered their charters. The fraternity slowly recovered through the mid-19th century and saw substantial growth through the late Victorian era and into the 20th century.
New Jersey's industrialization, immigration waves, and proximity to New York and Philadelphia made it a vibrant center for Masonic activity. Today the Grand Lodge of New Jersey is headquartered in Burlington and oversees roughly 130 active lodges across the state.
Oldest and Most Historic Lodges in New Jersey
Saint John's Lodge No. 1 in Newark is the senior lodge in New Jersey, originally chartered in 1761. Despite the disruptions of the Revolution and the Anti-Masonic period, the lodge maintained continuity and remains active. Trenton Lodge No.
5 in Trenton, the state capital, dates to 1787 and counts among its early members several signers of the U.S. Constitution. Hiram Lodge No. 2 in Newark and Cincinnati Lodge No.
3 (named for the Society of the Cincinnati, the Revolutionary War officers' fraternity) are among the senior 18th-century lodges. Solomon's Lodge No. 1 in Somerville, Mount Holly Lodge No. 14, and Burlington Lodge No.
32 (in the Grand Lodge home city) are all among the senior lodges. New Brunswick Lodge No. 9 served the colonial-era trading center on the Raritan River where the Grand Lodge itself was founded in 1786. Atlantic Lodge No.
8 in Atlantic City, chartered in the 19th century, served the booming resort town. Many of these older lodges meet in 19th- or early 20th-century Masonic temples - some of the most architecturally significant Masonic buildings in the country are in New Jersey. The Trenton Masonic Temple, the Newark Masonic Temple (when it stood), and the Burlington Grand Lodge complex are notable examples. New Jersey's lodge buildings often display original tracing boards, charters, and minute books.
The minute book of Saint John's Lodge No. 1 in Newark, with entries going back to 1761, is one of the older continuous Masonic records in North America.
New Jersey Masonic Lodges by the Numbers
The Grand Lodge of New Jersey currently oversees approximately 125 to 140 active subordinate lodges with around 14,000 to 16,000 Master Masons - down from a mid-20th-century peak above 80,000 members. Lodge density is highest in the densely populated north and central parts of the state - Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Union, Middlesex, Monmouth, and Mercer counties. South Jersey, with its Pinelands and shore communities, has fewer but historically important lodges in Atlantic County, Cape May County, and Cumberland County. The Grand Lodge holds its annual communication in April in Trenton or Burlington.
The Masonic Home of New Jersey, located in Burlington alongside the Grand Lodge, has provided care for elderly Masons, widows, and orphans for over a century. New Jersey has very active Scottish Rite Valleys in Trenton, Newark, Camden, and other cities, plus extensive York Rite bodies and Shriners. The Grand Lodge supports the New Jersey Masonic Charity Foundation, which funds scholarships, youth groups, and community programs throughout the state.
How to Become a Freemason in New Jersey
Petitioning a New Jersey lodge follows the standard process. The minimum age in New Jersey is 18, and you must believe in a Supreme Being and be of good moral character. Find a lodge - given the state's density, there's almost certainly one within ten or fifteen minutes of you - by searching LodgeFinder or the Grand Lodge of New Jersey website. Many lodges welcome you to attend a public dinner, breakfast, or community service event so you can meet members.
Italian-American Masonic clubs, Scottish-heritage lodges, and other affinity-based lodges are particularly active in New Jersey, reflecting the state's ethnic diversity. Once you decide to petition, two current Brothers in good standing must recommend and sign your petition. 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 joining.
They report to the lodge, which votes by secret ballot. If accepted, you'll be scheduled for your Entered Apprentice degree. New Jersey lodges follow standard proficiency requirements - you'll memorize portions of the ritual and demonstrate them before the lodge before progressing to the next degree. The Three Degrees usually take three to six months at a normal pace.
Some lodges offer one-day classes for the full Three Degrees. Initiation fees in New Jersey generally run $200 to $500, and annual dues range from $100 to $300 depending on the lodge.
Notable New Jersey Freemasons in History
New Jersey Masonry has counted many notable members over the centuries. David Brearley, a signer of the U.S. Constitution, Chief Justice of New Jersey, and the first Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey, set the foundation. Garret Hobart, the 24th Vice President of the United States (under William McKinley) and a New Jersey native, was a Mason.
Senator Frank Forbes Frelinghuysen was a Mason. New Jersey produced multiple U.S. Supreme Court Justices with Masonic affiliations. In the world of business, the founders of multiple Newark-based industrial firms were Masons.
The legendary inventor Thomas Edison, while not generally remembered as a Mason, lived and worked in Menlo Park, New Jersey - and his peers and many of his investors and lab assistants were Masons. Buzz Aldrin, the second man on the moon and a New Jersey native (Montclair), is a Mason - raised in Clear Lake Lodge No. 1417 in Texas; he famously took a Masonic flag to the moon and back. Aldrin's lunar Masonic moment is one of the most-cited episodes in 20th-century Masonic lore.
Jersey-born comedian Lou Costello, of Abbott and Costello fame, was a Mason. President Woodrow Wilson, who was Governor of New Jersey before becoming the 28th President, was not a Freemason despite frequent claims; his fraternal affiliations were primarily with Phi Kappa Psi, the academic fraternity. The Grand Lodge of New Jersey has counted multiple state governors, U.S. Senators and Representatives, judges, and business leaders among its members.
Prince Hall Freemasonry in New Jersey
Prince Hall Freemasonry in New Jersey is organized under the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of New Jersey, Free and Accepted Masons, headquartered in Newark. New Jersey was one of the early Northern states to develop a strong Prince Hall Masonic presence. The first Prince Hall lodges in New Jersey were chartered in the early 19th century, originally under the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. The independent Prince Hall Grand Lodge of New Jersey was chartered in 1848, making it one of the oldest Prince Hall jurisdictions in the United States.
Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, Prince Hall Masonry served as a vital institution for African American men in New Jersey's industrial cities - Newark, Camden, Trenton, Atlantic City, Jersey City, and Paterson - especially during the era of de facto segregation in fraternal life. Newark, in particular, became a stronghold of Prince Hall activity, with the Prince Hall Grand Lodge maintaining a significant presence in the city's African American community. Notable historical Prince Hall Masons in New Jersey have included educators, ministers, civil rights leaders, and elected officials. The Grand Lodge of New Jersey F.
& A.M. and the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of New Jersey entered into formal mutual recognition - meaning Brothers from each jurisdiction can visit and fellowship in each other's lodges. The Prince Hall Grand Lodge of New Jersey maintains its own appendant bodies, charities, and youth organizations, and remains an active, growing Masonic body.
Frequently Asked Questions about Masonic Lodges in New Jersey
When was the Grand Lodge of New Jersey founded?
The Grand Lodge of New Jersey F. & A.M. was organized on December 18, 1786, in New Brunswick. David Brearley, a signer of the U.S.
Constitution, served as the first Grand Master.
Where is the Grand Lodge of New Jersey headquartered?
The Grand Lodge of New Jersey is headquartered in Burlington, New Jersey, on the same campus as the Masonic Home of New Jersey. The complex serves both administrative and senior care functions.
Was Buzz Aldrin a New Jersey Mason?
Buzz Aldrin, the Apollo 11 astronaut and New Jersey native, is a Master Mason - though he was raised in Clear Lake Lodge No. 1417 in Texas, not New Jersey. He famously took a Masonic flag to the moon and back.
What's the oldest Masonic lodge in New Jersey?
Saint John's Lodge No. 1 in Newark, chartered in 1761 under the Provincial Grand Lodge of New York, is the senior Masonic lodge in New Jersey. It has met continuously for over 260 years.
How big is New Jersey Masonry today?
The Grand Lodge of New Jersey oversees approximately 125 to 140 lodges with about 14,000 to 16,000 active Master Masons. Membership has declined from a mid-20th-century peak above 80,000.
Sources & Further Reading
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