Grand Lodge of Indiana

The historically black Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Indiana F&AM is the second regular Masonic grand lodge in the state, and it was originally established in 1856 as the Independent Union Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Indiana (National Compact).

The two grand lodges agreed to mutual recognition in May 1998, and they jointly share sovereignty over the Masonic fraternity in Indiana.

Thus, the Grand Lodge of Indiana was chartered on January 13, 1818, at the presently-named Schofield House, owned by Alexander Lanier, father of James Lanier and a Freemason as well, in Madison, Indiana.

The first Grand Master of Indiana was Alexander Buckner of Charlestown, who would later become a United States senator from Missouri.

[7] Indiana would not escape the anti-Masonry hysteria of the 1820s-1840 that was touched off by the unexplained disappearance of William Morgan in upstate New York in 1826.

But by 1842 the anti-Masonic panic had waned, and American grand lodges slowly began to grow again.

[8] Following the American Civil War, Freemasonry in the U.S. dramatically increased in popularity, along with the establishment of hundreds of new, similarly modeled fraternal organizations.

The Home still exists in Franklin, Indiana and changed its operating name to Compass Park in 2016.

[2] Indianapolis is also home to the two largest Masonic appendant body chapters in the U.S.: throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, the Indianapolis Valley of the Scottish Rite at the Scottish Rite Cathedral has been the world's largest Scottish Rite Valley; and the Murat Shrine has been the largest body of Shriners International.

[2] Beginning in the early 1960s, the Grand Lodge of Indiana began erecting historical markers at sites with great Masonic significance.

Much of the initial collection was amassed for the 1968 sesquicentennial celebration of the Grand Lodge's founding, but that mission has continued and expanded.

The MLMI is located today in the Indianapolis Masonic Temple, which is also the headquarters of the state's fraternity.

There are also 24 active predominantly African-American, Prince Hall Affiliated (PHA) Masonic lodges in Indiana administered by the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Indiana F&AM, which was established September 16, 1856.

The two Indiana grand lodges officially declared mutual recognition in 1998 and enjoy reciprocal visitation.

[11] Famous Freemasons from Indiana include John Tipton, Oliver P. Morton, Lew Wallace, General Charles Cruft, Eugene V. Debs, Harvey Weir Cook, Art Nehf, Birch Evans Bayh Sr., Red Skelton, William H. Hudnut, Thomas Taggart, Dan Burton, Samuel Ralston, Colonel Harland Sanders, Dave Thomas, Chapman Jay Root, Caleb B. Smith, David Goodnow, Paul Page, Gus Grissom, and Carl Erskine.

Hand "1817-1845 Reprinted Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Indiana".

Hand "1848 Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Indiana".

Hand "1849 Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Indiana".

Hand "1850 Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Indiana".

Hand "1851 Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Indiana".

Hand "1852 Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Indiana".

Z. Earl Vaughn Grand Lecturer: Robert A. Rogers Asst.

Dr. A. W. Farnsworth, IV Grand Lecturer: Richard D. Purcel Asst.

George P. Weister Grand Lecturer: James M. Karnafel Asst.

George P. Weister Grand Lecturer: Jeffrey D. Naylor Asst.

Thomas P. Hansen Grand Lecturer: Jackie A. Ash Asst.