El Paso Lodge # 130 AF & AM

El Paso Lodge # 130 AF & AM El Paso Lodge # 130 A.F. & A.M. chartered Jan. 21, 1854. "Making good men better"

*We value the well-being of our membership and surrounding community.

Threats made against us will be tried, convicted and punished to the full extent of the law.

Gerald Ford during a campaign visit to El Paso in 1976. Ford was raised a Master Mason in Columbia Lodge No. 3 in Grand ...
09/02/2026

Gerald Ford during a campaign visit to El Paso in 1976. Ford was raised a Master Mason in Columbia Lodge No. 3 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He was also a member of the Scottish Rite, where he received the honorary 33°, and a Shriner affiliated with Saladin Shriners. 
 
Ford remains the most recent U.S. president known to have been a Freemason, continuing a long tradition of Masonic membership among American presidents. 
 
Photo Credit: El Paso Times 

James Irwin Hewitt was born on October 15, 1849, in Oxford, Ohio. A pioneer builder and civic leader, he served as an al...
08/31/2026

James Irwin Hewitt was born on October 15, 1849, in Oxford, Ohio. A pioneer builder and civic leader, he served as an alderman and as Mayor Pro Tempore of El Paso. He was also a devoted Freemason who held nearly every important Masonic office. A committed Christian, he belonged to the First Presbyterian Church. He died in the Masonic hospital. 
 
Hewitt became one of El Paso’s leading contractors. Through the firm of James I. Hewitt & Son, he constructed many of the city’s early prominent buildings, including the first Masonic Temple, the Texas Grand Theatre, the Lockie Hotel, St. Clement’s Episcopal Church, the first Presbyterian church, and numerous residences for prominent El Pasoans. Contemporary accounts described Hewitt as an imposing figure, standing six feet, five inches tall. 
 
His extensive Masonic affiliations included El Paso Lodge No. 130 A.F. & A.M., the York Rite, the Scottish Rite, in which he attained the 33rd Degree, and El Maida Shrine. 
 

Ernest Krause was born in Germany on March 2, 1847. Sometime before the arrival of the railroads in El Paso in the 1880s...
08/28/2026

Ernest Krause was born in Germany on March 2, 1847. Sometime before the arrival of the railroads in El Paso in the 1880s, he established his permanent residence in the city. Krause had previously operated a carpenter shop in Arkansas but left following severe flooding, eventually making his way to El Paso by stagecoach. 
 
Krause belonged to the Pioneer Association before its membership was broadened to include non-Masons. As El Paso expanded, he established an architectural and construction practice. Among the notable local landmarks associated with his work were Hotel Dieu, the Ellanay Theatre, and the A. B. Fall residence. He also built the dam at Hart’s Mill, which belonged to his Masonic brother, Simeon Hart. 
 
Before settling in El Paso, Krause had been a sailor and had sailed around the world. Prior to the city’s ensuing land boom, he purchased property for $60. His wife later recalled the primitive conditions of early El Paso, noting that conventional beds were unavailable and residents instead fashioned them from wooden boxes. 
 
Krause was a member of El Paso Lodge No. 130 A.F. & A.M. and, at the time of his untimely death, was its longest-serving member. 
 
El Paso Lodge No. 130 A.F. & A.M. Archives 

Spring Ceremonial of El Maida Temple, El Paso, Texas, circa April 4, 1928. In the background stands the historic El Paso...
08/25/2026

Spring Ceremonial of El Maida Temple, El Paso, Texas, circa April 4, 1928. In the background stands the historic El Paso Lodge No. 130 A.F. & A.M. Masonic Temple, designed by the renowned architectural firm Trost & Trost. 
 
Archival Photograph: El Paso Lodge No. 130 A.F. & A.M. Archives. 

The adobe building at left became the first property owned by El Paso Lodge No. 130 A.F. & A.M. in 1879. In 1894, the Lo...
08/20/2026

The adobe building at left became the first property owned by El Paso Lodge No. 130 A.F. & A.M. in 1879. In 1894, the Lodge constructed the two-story building to the right, occupying its second floor until 1901. 
 
Archival Photograph: El Paso Lodge No. 130 A.F. & A.M. Archives. 

El Maida Shrine presented a donation during Shriners International Imperial session, reaffirming its longstanding commit...
08/19/2026

El Maida Shrine presented a donation during Shriners International Imperial session, reaffirming its longstanding commitment to philanthropy, service, and the work of Shriners Children’s Hospitals. We believe deeply in the mission of our hospitals and in principled leadership that serves the interests of the entire Nobility. Our strength rests in fellowship, shared purpose, and the conviction that sound leadership derives its authority from the consent of those it serves.

All Shriners are Masons, but not all Masons are Shriners.

El Maida Shrine Patrol and Ladies in Regional Spanish Costume, c. late 1920s.  Members of El Paso’s El Maida Shrine and ...
08/19/2026

El Maida Shrine Patrol and Ladies in Regional Spanish Costume, c. late 1920s. 
 
Members of El Paso’s El Maida Shrine and their ladies pose in traditional Spanish/Mexican regalia for a social pageant and dance in their beautiful gardens. 
 
Archival Courtesy of Hope M. Smith.  

President Bill Clinton smiles while holding a pair of Lucchese cowboy boots presented during a campaign appearance in El...
08/12/2026

President Bill Clinton smiles while holding a pair of Lucchese cowboy boots presented during a campaign appearance in El Paso. Beside him, Democratic congressional candidate Silvestre Reyes displays a pair of Tony Lama boots that had been presented to the President, highlighting a lighthearted moment that celebrated the craftsmanship and enduring traditions of the American West. 
 
Beyond his political career, Clinton’s association with fraternal organizations began long before his presidency. As a young man, he was an active member of the Order of DeMolay, where he attained the office of Master Councilor, the organization’s highest youth leadership position. The experience reflected an early commitment to civic responsibility, public service, and leadership—principles that remained recurring themes throughout his public life. 
 
Photo Courtesy of the El Paso Times / Bill Haines. 

April 25, 1959 — Federal Judge Robert E. Thomason, a distinguished jurist and respected member of El Paso Lodge No. 130 ...
08/11/2026

April 25, 1959 — Federal Judge Robert E. Thomason, a distinguished jurist and respected member of El Paso Lodge No. 130 A.F. & A.M., was honored for a remarkable milestone in his Masonic journey, receiving formal recognition for fifty years of continuous membership in the fraternity. The presentation took place during a ceremony attended by senior officers of the Grand Lodge of Texas, reflecting both the significance of Thomason’s long service and the esteem in which he was held by Texas Freemasonry. 
 
Photographed with Judge Thomason are Randall Eugene Briscoe, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Texas, standing to his right, and John T. Bean, Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Texas, standing to his left. Together, they presented the commemorative fifty-year service pin, an honor reserved for Masons whose decades of fidelity exemplify steadfast devotion to the Craft. 
 
By 1959, Thomason’s reputation extended well beyond the courtroom. His distinguished career in public service, coupled with his enduring commitment to Freemasonry, had earned him recognition as one of El Paso’s most influential civic leaders. The ceremony served not only as a tribute to half a century of Masonic affiliation, but also as a public acknowledgment of a life dedicated to duty, integrity, and principled leadership. 
 
Archival Photo Courtesy of El Paso Lodge No. 130 A.F. & A.M. Archives & Library.  

A historic panoramic view of downtown El Paso, Texas, photographed during the early twentieth century. Rising prominentl...
08/10/2026

A historic panoramic view of downtown El Paso, Texas, photographed during the early twentieth century. Rising prominently in the background is the five-story El Paso Lodge No. 130 A.F. & A.M. Temple, designed by the renowned architectural firm Trost & Trost. The building stood as one of the city’s most distinguished landmarks, reflecting both El Paso’s rapid urban growth and the prominent civic role of Freemasonry during this formative period. 
 

Address

1505 Magruder
El Paso, TX
79925

Opening Hours

11am - 4pm

Telephone

+19157721707

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when El Paso Lodge # 130 AF & AM posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category