The first Masonic Lodge established in what is now Missouri was constituted November 14, 1807, under a warrant issued by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania for The Louisiana Lodge No. 109 in St. Genevieve, Territory of Louisiana. On September 15, 1808, the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania granted a warrant to Meriwether Lewis (leader of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, and the first governor of the Territory of Louisiana), Master, Thomas Fiveash Riddick (our first Grand Master), Senior Warden, and Rufus Easton, Junior Warden, for St. Louis Lodge No. 111. This Lodge was constituted November 8, 1808.

Later, the Grand Lodge of Tennessee granted charters to three Lodges in the Missouri Territory: Missouri Lodge No. 12 (St. Louis), October 1816; Joachim Lodge No. 25 (Herculaneum) October 1819; and St. Charles No. 28 (St. Charles), October 1819. In 1820, Unity Lodge was established at Jackson under dispensation from the Grand Lodge of Indiana.

On February 22, 1821, representatives from Missouri Lodge No. 12, Joachim Lodge No. 25, and St. Charles No. 28, assembled at Missouri Lodge and resolved to organize a Grand Lodge for the State of Missouri. The Grand Lodge was organized on April 21, 1821, and a Constitution and By-Laws were adopted. The "Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Ancient Masons of the State of Missouri" was incorporated by act of the Missouri General Assembly on February 17, 1843.

In 1870, the name was changed to one we now use, i.e., the "Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Missouri." The present Constitution, which has been little amended, was adopted on May 28, 1866 along with a Code of By-Laws.

Starting with just three small Lodges, Freemasonry has grown in Missouri to its present size. The present numbers are:

46 Masonic Districts
403 Masonic Lodges
55,000 Master Masons (approximate)

Freemasonry has a full and rich history in the State of Missouri. Not only have hundreds of famous Missourians belonged to our Beloved Fraternity, Freemasonry has made countless contributions to the growth and development of Missouri in the almost 200 years that our Fraternity has formally existed in this state. As a Mason you are strongly encouraged to research the history of Freemasonry in Missouri. You will quickly discover that Missouri history and Freemasonry are forever intertwined.

The above article was written by the Grand Lodge of Missouri Committee on Education and appears on their web site.