Founded in the early 1850s during the height of the California Gold Rush<\/span><\/span>, Hiram Lodge No. 25 stands among the earliest fraternal institutions established in the Mother Lode. Like many lodges of its time, it was formed by miners\u2014often referred to as \u201c49ers\u201d\u2014who carried Masonic charters west from established lodges in the eastern United States.<\/p>\n Unlike the more urban lodges that would later rise in cities like San Francisco and Sacramento, Hiram Lodge developed a distinctly working-class identity. Historical accounts show its members were miners, carpenters, and lumber mill workers\u2014men who labored by day and sought order, fraternity, and moral structure by night.<\/p>\n Nickalous Battaini, a current member, said the lodge has never strayed far from those origins.<\/p>\n \u201cHiram has always been a blue-collar lodge. Members worked at the lumber mill. They were carpenters, merchandise guys, miners. So we wanted to go back to the roots.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n That commitment to heritage is not symbolic\u2014it is tangible.<\/p>\n Eight years ago, a lodge member and history reenactor proposed an idea: restore the visual identity of Gold Rush-era Masons. The effort resulted in meticulously researched attire that predates even the earliest blue jeans associated with Levi Strauss & Co.<\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n Members now don period-accurate clothing for special events, including:<\/p>\n The clothing reflects the practical, durable style of miners rather than the formal regalia often associated with later Masonic tradition.<\/p>\n Each year, Hiram Lodge extends its historical interpretation beyond its meeting hall, staging a public \u201ctent lodge\u201d at Coloma<\/span><\/span>\u2014the site where gold was first discovered in 1848.<\/p>\n The reenactment illustrates how early Masons held meetings in temporary camps, often under canvas, as they followed gold strikes across the Sierra foothills. These traveling lodges provided stability and brotherhood in otherwise transient and often chaotic mining camps.<\/p>\n The event serves both as an educational experience and a tribute to the adaptability of early Masonic life in frontier California.<\/p>\n Hiram Lodge\u2019s story reflects a broader pattern across the Mother Lode. Between 1850 and 1856, more than half of California\u2019s first 101 Masonic lodges were established along the 150-mile gold belt. The Grand Lodge of California<\/span><\/span>, founded in Sacramento in 1850, helped formalize these early efforts just months before California achieved statehood.<\/p>\n Historians note that these lodges often served critical civic roles. In many mining towns, they provided burial services, dispute mediation, and a sense of order in communities where formal institutions were scarce.<\/p>\n As one historical summary from the Masons of California notes,<\/p>\n \u201cFreemasonry has been an integral part of California for more than 150 years,\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n particularly during the volatile early years of state formation.<\/p>\n Hiram Lodge\u2019s physical location in El Dorado places it near routes once used by the Pony Express<\/span><\/span>, further anchoring it in the region\u2019s frontier legacy.<\/p>\n Today, the lodge remains active in community life. Members march in local events such as the El Dorado Christmas parade and participate in civic traditions, including cornerstone ceremonies for public buildings.<\/p>\n Tom Golden, reflecting on the lodge\u2019s enduring relevance, praised its continued visibility:<\/p>\n \u201cSo proud of my fellow 402nd District Brothers of Hiram Lodge. And glad to see the Grand Lodge showing that the beginnings of California Masonry are as important as the larger lodges in the big cities.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n While many historic institutions rely on archives and preservation alone, Hiram Lodge No. 25 has taken a different approach\u2014immersing itself in the past to keep it relevant in the present.<\/p>\n In doing so, it offers El Dorado County residents more than a glimpse into history. It provides a living connection to the men who built the region\u2014not as distant figures, but as working hands in canvas and dust, bound by fraternity in a rapidly changing world.<\/p>\n \n — ADDENDUM of local Free and Accepted Masonic history —<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0(Chico Leland Stanford Lodge No. 111)<\/strong>: A seminal figure in California history, Bidwell was an early pioneer who organized the first American immigrant group to reach California. He served as the\u00a0first elected Worshipful Master<\/strong>\u00a0of Chico Lodge and was a prominent member of Butte Lodge No. 36. Beyond his Masonic life, he founded the city of Chico and was a representative in the U.S. House of Representatives.<\/div>\n \u00a0(Oriental Lodge No. 144)<\/strong>: Known as “the orator who saved the nation,” this Unitarian minister and Freemason is credited with keeping California in the Union during the Civil War through his powerful speeches. He was a dedicated abolitionist and raised over\u00a0$1.5 million<\/strong>\u00a0for the United States Sanitary Commission. Notably, he deliberately joined a Masonic lodge that was primarily Chinese, reflecting his commitment to racial equality.<\/div>\n : A military commander during the Mexican-American War, Stevenson was a pivotal figure in the formalization of California Masonry. He served as the\u00a0first Grand Master<\/strong>\u00a0of the\u00a0Grand Lodge of California<\/a><\/span>\u00a0when it was established in Sacramento in 1850.<\/span><\/div>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/div>\n \u00a0(Mark Twain)<\/strong>: Though often remembered for his writing, Clemens was a “Gold Country Mason” who spent significant time in the region during his early career. His experiences in mining camps like\u00a0Jackass Hill<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Angels Camp<\/strong>\u00a0deeply influenced his literary works.<\/div>\n : The legendary sheriff of Calaveras County, Thorn was a Mason who became famous for capturing the notorious stagecoach robber\u00a0Black Bart<\/strong>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n : A distinguished member of El Dorado Lodge No. 26<\/strong>\u00a0(Placerville), Sorsabal served as a high-ranking Grand Lodge officer, reaching the position of\u00a0Junior Grand Warden<\/strong>. In the California Masonic “Grand Line,” officers typically progress annually through these positions toward becoming Grand Master.<\/div>\n<\/li>\n : A prominent attorney and legislator who practiced in the Placerville Masonic building in the late 19th century. While primarily known for his legal and legislative career, he was a key figure in the lodge\u2019s local leadership during a period when the fraternity was deeply intertwined with California’s state governance.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n is a prominent figure in El Dorado County and California Masonry, notably serving as the\u00a0Master of Placerville Lodge No. 26<\/strong>.<\/div>\nA Brotherhood Built in the Diggings<\/h3>\n
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Dressing the Part of History<\/h3>\n
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Recreating a \u201cTent Lodge\u201d in Coloma<\/h3>\n
A Region Shaped by Masonry<\/h3>\n
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From Pony Express Trails to Modern Parades<\/h3>\n
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Preserving the Past by Living It<\/h3>\n
Key Historical Figures<\/h3>\n
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\n Name\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/th>\n Notable Role<\/th>\n Lodge Affiliation<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n \n \n Carried the original charter to CA<\/td>\n California Lodge No. 1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \n 3rd Governor of California<\/td>\n Tehama Lodge No. 3<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \n 8th Governor & Railroad Tycoon<\/td>\n Michigan City Lodge No. 47<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n \n Legendary Wells Fargo agent<\/td>\n Gold Country Masons<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n \n
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