About Our Lodge
Learn more about Santa Monica-Palisades Lodge No. 307, Free & Accepted Masons in the State of California.
Lodge History
On the evening of March 9, 1891, seventeen Master Masons met at the home of Brother Martin Henry Volkman on Third Street, near Santa Monica Blvd. The purpose of the meeting were initial discussion to form a Masonic Lodge here in Santa Monica. There were only a few thousand residents at that time. One of the attendees was Brother Abbott Kinney, a member of Pasadena Lodge No. 272, and the founder of Venice Beach, CA.
On June 10, 1891, a dispensation was granted by the Grand Lodge of California. A few days later the first official Lodge meeting was held. And on October 14, 1891, a Charter was granted to Santa Monica Lodge No. 307. Only 7 months passed from the first unofficial lodge meeting, to a fully chartered and working lodge. Leroy Brown served as the first Master of the lodge.
Lodge Mergers
a glance at our Membership
Our current membership has its roots in the fraternity's history, but is firmly looking towards the future. Our members reflect the diversity, youth, and vitality of this region.
There are currently around 300 members.
The average age of membership is 49.
Our biggest growing segment of members is under age 30.
We have members of every religion and many ethnicities.
We also have diversity in professions, from business to the arts, entertainment, and everything else.
The current lodge that we enjoy today is the result of two previous mergers. The first merge was with Palisades Lodge No. 637. Palisades Lodge was founded in 1925, and flourished for a long period in the Pacific Palisades, before eventually merging with Santa Monica in 1987. The other lodge, West Los Angeles Lodge No. 373, actually began in 1922 when several members of Santa Monica Lodge decided to spin off and form a "Veteran's Lodge." It thrived in two different buildings in the Sawtelle and West LA neighborhoods for many years. The masonic building on Santa Monica Blvd and Butler Ave. still stands today. West LA merged with Santa Monica-Palisades No. 307 lodge in 1996.
More recently, Riviera Lodge No. 780, based in the Pacific Palisades, merged with Santa Monica-Palisades No. 307 in 2017.
Northridge Earthquake
On January 17th 1994, a 6.7 earthquake began at 4:30am in the epicenter of the Northridge and Reseda neighborhoods. Due to the nature of the fault line, a heavy amount of damage occurred in the city of Santa Monica. Buildings and key infrastructure were completely leveled. The Santa Monica Masonic Center, located at 926 Santa Monica Blvd., did not escape the ravages of the earthquake. It was unceremoniously destroyed. With the heroic efforts of the lodge members, and gracious financial assistance from neighboring lodge Riviera No. 780, they set to work to restore the building to an even greater glory than before. It was rededicated in September, 1996, led by the efforts of Lionel Ruhman, PM. That building still exists today, and is used by the fraternity, as well as an event space for the community at large.
our work in the community
Our lodge and our members are actively involved in the Santa Monica community, through our charitable gifts and volunteer activities. Here is a snapshot of some of the good that we do:
Proud Sponsors of the Santa Monica Little League
Provide scholarship support at Santa Monica College
Organize annual Book Fair with Santa Monica School District
Supporters and sponsors of the Westside Food Bank
In 2016, Santa Monica-Palisades Lodge No. 307 celebrated its 125th anniversary. It is a lodge with a rich history that is deeply rooted in the local community, an active current membership, and a bright future.
Applying For Membership:
Freemasonry in California is a relevant and respected fraternity committed to attracting, developing, and retaining members of high quality who seek self-improvement and opportunities to make a positive difference in their communities.
Membership is open to men 18 or older who believe in a Supreme Being and meet the qualifications and standards of character and reputation. Men of all ethnic and religious backgrounds are welcome. One of Freemasonry’s customs is not to solicit members; men must seek membership on their own initiative. Anyone is welcome to request information about the fraternity.
To become a member, a man must be recommended by two members of a local Masonic lodge and file a petition through that lodge. After submitting the petition, the applicant then meets with a committee to discuss Freemasonry and learn more about the organization. If the interview is favorable, the petition is presented to the lodge for a vote. If the vote is affirmative, the individual receives the Entered Apprentice degree – the first degree of Freemasonry. Once a man has completed the next two degrees, he is a Master Mason and a full member of the fraternity.
If you are interested in applying for membership to our lodge, now is a good time to start. Please contact us.
If you are interested in renting out the space for a private event, you can learn more about our rental venue here.