Utah Masonic history is one of the more unusual stories in American Freemasonry, mostly because of the long and complicated relationship between Masonry and the Latter-day Saint (LDS) Church that dominated the territory through most of the 19th century. The first lodge in what is now Utah was Rocky Mountain Lodge No. 205, chartered in 1859 in Camp Floyd by the Grand Lodge of Missouri to serve US Army soldiers stationed there during the Utah War. That lodge folded when the army left in 1861.

The next lodges came with the railroad in 1866 and 1867: Mount Moriah Lodge No. 2 in Salt Lake City, chartered by the Grand Lodge of Nevada, and Wasatch Lodge No. 1, also chartered by Nevada, both meeting in early Salt Lake City. Argenta Lodge No.

3 in Corinne (a railroad boomtown north of Ogden) followed soon after. On January 16, 1872, delegates from those three lodges formed the Grand Lodge of Utah at Corinne. Here's where the story gets unusual. From the outset, the Grand Lodge of Utah passed an edict prohibiting LDS Church members from being initiated as Masons.

The reasoning given at the time was a perceived conflict between Masonic obligations and LDS temple endowments, since Joseph Smith had himself been made a Mason in Nauvoo, Illinois in 1842 and the LDS endowment ceremony shares some thematic and structural similarities with Masonic ritual. The ban remained in effect for over a century. It wasn't formally lifted until 1984, after years of internal debate in the Grand Lodge. Once the ban was repealed, LDS members began joining Utah lodges in growing numbers, and today many Utah lodges have a substantial LDS membership alongside members of every other faith.

The 20th century history of Utah Masonry tracks the broader American pattern: growth through the early decades, peak membership around 1960, then steady decline. The state has a much smaller Masonic footprint than its neighbors because of the early ban and the relatively small non-LDS population through much of the territory's history.

Oldest and Most Historic Lodges in Utah

Mount Moriah Lodge No. 2 in Salt Lake City is one of the oldest active lodges in the state, having been chartered originally by the Grand Lodge of Nevada in 1866 and then becoming one of the founding lodges of the Grand Lodge of Utah in 1872. Wasatch Lodge No. 1 in Salt Lake City is technically the oldest under Utah's grand jurisdiction, having been chartered the same period and given the No.

1 spot when the new grand lodge organized. Both lodges still meet today, with Wasatch No. 1 in particular maintaining a long unbroken tradition of Salt Lake City Masonic life. Argenta Lodge No.

3 in Corinne, the third founding lodge, eventually went dormant when Corinne lost its railroad-boom population in the late 19th century, but the charter has been preserved as a historical artifact. Story Lodge No. 4 in Park City, chartered in 1872, served the silver mining community of Park City and is still active today. Ogden Lodge No.

6, chartered in 1872, is one of the oldest active lodges in northern Utah and meets in a building with deep historical ties to the Union Pacific railroad community. Logan Lodge No. 29 in Cache Valley, chartered later in the 19th century, has long served northern Utah's non-LDS community. Provo Lodge No.

8 has roots in the late 19th century in Utah Valley. Bingham Lodge No. 10 served the Bingham Canyon copper mining community for many decades. The Salt Lake Masonic Temple, completed in 1927 on South Temple Street in Salt Lake City, houses several historic Salt Lake City lodges and Scottish Rite bodies and is one of the most architecturally notable Masonic buildings in the western United States.

Utah Masonic Lodges by the Numbers

The Grand Lodge of Utah is one of the smaller US grand lodges by membership, reflecting the state's distinctive religious demographics and the long historical ban on LDS members joining. Utah currently has approximately 25 to 30 active subordinate lodges and somewhere around 1,500 to 2,000 active Master Masons, depending on the year. By comparison, that's roughly the size of a single Masonic district in a state like Texas or Pennsylvania. Salt Lake City and Ogden have the largest concentrations of lodges, with smaller lodges scattered through Provo, Logan, Park City, St.

George, and several smaller towns. Utah does not have a separate Prince Hall grand lodge of its own; African American Masons in Utah have historically affiliated with mainstream Utah lodges, with Prince Hall jurisdictions in neighboring states, or with Prince Hall lodges chartered under Colorado or California Prince Hall jurisdictions. The Grand Lodge of Utah supports several charitable initiatives including a Masonic Foundation that funds scholarships and community grants, and Utah Masons participate in the broader Shriners Hospitals network through the El Kalah Shrine in Salt Lake City. Despite its small size, Utah Masonry has an active appendant body presence including Scottish Rite, York Rite, Order of the Eastern Star, and youth groups like DeMolay and Job's Daughters.

How to Become a Freemason in Utah

Joining a Utah lodge starts the same way it does anywhere else in mainstream American Masonry: you ask. Utah lodges don't recruit, so the first move has to come from you. Basic requirements under Utah Grand Lodge law are that you be a man, at least 18 years old, of good moral character, with belief in a Supreme Being (any monotheistic faith works, no specific religion is required), and a resident of Utah or living in a region close enough to attend lodge meetings. There is no longer any religious-affiliation restriction, so members of the LDS Church, Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Muslims, and any other faith are all welcome since the 1984 repeal of the LDS ban.

To begin the process, find a lodge in your area through the LodgeFinder Utah page or by visiting the Salt Lake Masonic Temple, contact the Secretary, and ask for a petition. The lodge will give you a form to fill out, which asks for personal background, employment, and references. You'll need two current Master Masons to sign as recommenders, but if you don't know any Masons, the lodge can usually help with introductions after you've attended a few open events. Once you submit your petition with the initiation fee (Utah lodges typically charge $150 to $300 for all three degrees), a three-member investigation committee will visit you at home or at a coffee shop for a friendly interview.

The lodge then votes by secret ballot, and a unanimous vote is required for election. After you're elected you'll receive the Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft, and Master Mason degrees over a period of usually three to nine months, with proficiency exams between each.

Notable Utah Freemasons in History

Utah's Masonic membership has historically been smaller than its neighbors, but the state has produced its share of notable Masons. Frank J. Cannon, a US Senator from Utah and son of LDS apostle George Q. Cannon, was a Mason and an early advocate for Utah Masonic life despite his family's religious context.

Thomas Kearns, a US Senator and one of the wealthy mine owners behind Park City silver, was a Mason. Patrick Edward Connor, the federal commander who founded Camp Douglas overlooking Salt Lake City and is credited with helping establish the Utah mining industry, was a Mason. Charles S. Varian, a US Attorney for Utah and prominent legal figure, was a Mason.

On the cultural side, several territorial-era newspaper editors and merchants were Masons, including some who built the original Mount Moriah and Wasatch lodges. The construction of the Salt Lake Masonic Temple in 1927 was led by a generation of Utah business leaders most of whose names are still on Salt Lake City buildings. In the 20th century, various Utah governors, judges, and university presidents have been Masons, though the membership numbers have always been smaller than in Masonically larger states. The relatively small size of Utah Masonry compared to its neighbors means individual Utah Masons often had outsized influence within their communities, since they were often part of the non-LDS business and civic infrastructure of the state.

The 1984 lifting of the LDS ban also brought a number of prominent LDS leaders into Utah Masonry in the decades since.

Prince Hall Freemasonry in Utah

Utah does not have its own Prince Hall Grand Lodge. Historically, the African American population of Utah was relatively small (Utah's overall demographics have been heavily white through most of its history), and there was never sufficient population concentration to support a separate Prince Hall jurisdiction. African American Masons in Utah have historically affiliated either with mainstream Utah lodges (which never had a racial bar in their constitutional language, though informal segregation was certainly present), or with Prince Hall lodges chartered under neighboring grand lodges like the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Colorado or the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of California. There have been Prince Hall lodges meeting in Utah from time to time under those out-of-state jurisdictions, particularly in Salt Lake City and Ogden where there were historic Black communities tied to the Union Pacific Railroad and military installations like Hill Air Force Base.

The mainstream Grand Lodge of Utah recognizes the various Prince Hall jurisdictions that have charters in Utah and treats Prince Hall Masons from those jurisdictions as full Masons under visitation rules. As Utah's demographics have diversified in the 21st century, there has been some discussion about whether a separate Utah Prince Hall Grand Lodge might eventually emerge, but as of now Prince Hall Masonry in Utah remains a satellite of neighboring Prince Hall jurisdictions rather than its own grand body.

Frequently Asked Questions about Masonic Lodges in Utah

Can LDS members join Masonic lodges in Utah?

Yes. The Grand Lodge of Utah lifted its long-standing ban on LDS members in 1984, and today members of the LDS Church are welcome to join Utah lodges on the same basis as anyone else. Many Utah lodges now have substantial LDS membership alongside members of other faiths.

Why was there a historical conflict between Utah Masonry and the LDS Church?

When the Grand Lodge of Utah formed in 1872, it adopted an edict prohibiting LDS members from initiation, citing perceived conflicts between Masonic and LDS temple obligations. The ban lasted over a century until 1984. Joseph Smith himself had been made a Mason in Nauvoo in 1842, which makes the history complicated.

How many Masons are in Utah?

Utah has approximately 1,500 to 2,000 active Master Masons across roughly 25 to 30 lodges. By absolute numbers it's one of the smaller US grand lodges, reflecting the state's unique demographics and history. The Salt Lake City and Ogden areas have the largest concentrations.

Where is the Salt Lake Masonic Temple?

The Salt Lake Masonic Temple is on South Temple Street in downtown Salt Lake City, completed in 1927. It houses multiple Salt Lake City lodges, the Scottish Rite, and other appendant bodies. The building itself is a notable example of early 20th century Masonic temple architecture in the western US.

How much does it cost to become a Mason in Utah?

Most Utah lodges charge an initiation fee of $150 to $300 for all three degrees combined, with annual dues of $75 to $200 a year afterward. Costs vary by lodge size and location. The Salt Lake City lodges tend to charge a bit more than smaller rural lodges.