Freemasonry arrived in Denver before Denver had a name. The first Masonic meeting in what would become Colorado took place on November 3, 1858, in a cabin at the junction of Cherry Creek and the Platte River — the same ground where the city now stands. Denver and its Masonic community grew up together, and that connection has never fully separated.
Today, Denver is home to sixteen active craft lodges chartered under the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Colorado, plus Prince Hall lodges operating under the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Colorado, with which the Grand Lodge of Colorado maintains a compact of mutual recognition and concurrent jurisdiction. The two traditions have operated in parallel in this city since the 1860s and have been in formal fraternal relationship since the Grand Lodge of Colorado extended recognition in 1990.
What follows is a brief history of each lodge, with our own listed first and the remainder in order of charter date.
Denver Lodges Under the Grand Lodge of Colorado
Marquis de Lafayette Lodge No. 41 — Chartered 2019
1614 Welton Street, Denver, CO 80202 | mdl41.com
Stated communications: 2nd and 4th Wednesdays, September through May | Dinner at 6:00 p.m.
Marquis de Lafayette Lodge No. 41 was chartered on January 25, 2019, from the merger of Albert Pike Lodge No. 117 and Pythagoras Lodge No. 41. The lodge's heritage reaches back to 1881, when Schiller Lodge No. 41 was chartered as the only lodge in Colorado authorized to conduct all of its work in the German language. Five predecessor lodges, 138 years, and one unexpected discovery brought this lodge into being: a hand-painted silk apron once belonging to the Marquis de Lafayette, authenticated by the George Washington Masonic National Memorial, and on permanent display at 1614 Welton Street. The lodge holds the only active German-language Masonic authorization in Colorado. Dinner before each stated communication is open to all Masons and to any man who is curious about the fraternity.
Denver Lodge No. 5 — Chartered 1861
1614 Welton Street, Denver, CO 80202 | denver5.org
Stated communications: 1st and 3rd Thursdays | Dinner at 6:30 p.m., lodge at 7:30 p.m.
Denver Lodge No. 5 is the oldest continuously operating Masonic lodge in Colorado. Seven Masons held the first informal gathering in a Cherry Creek cabin on November 3, 1858. The lodge received its dispensation as Auraria Lodge on October 1, 1859, and its charter as Denver Lodge No. 5 on December 11, 1861. It was among the three lodges that founded the Grand Lodge of Colorado on August 2 of that year. The lodge participated in cornerstone ceremonies for Union Station (1870) and the University of Colorado (1875), and has met at the 1614 Welton building since 1890, surviving the 1984 fire that destroyed the building's interior.
Union Lodge No. 7 — Chartered 1863
1614 Welton Street, Denver, CO 80202
Stated communications: 2nd and 4th Wednesdays | Motto: Born in Conflict, Dwelling in Unity
Union Lodge No. 7 was chartered on November 3, 1863, exactly five years to the day after the first Masonic meeting in Colorado territory. Its motto reflects its founding moment: the Civil War, a divided frontier city, and the deliberate choice of union. Twenty-four of its members were among the 59 petitioners who founded Oriental Lodge No. 87 in 1891, and it remains one of Denver's most active lodges, meeting today at the same address where the city's Masonic history began. Contact information is available through the Grand Lodge of Colorado lodge locator at coloradofreemasons.org.
Black Hawk Lodge No. 11 — Chartered 1866
4625 Morrison Road, Denver, CO 80219
Stated communications: 2nd and 4th Thursdays | Dinner at 6:00 p.m., lodge at 7:00 p.m.
Black Hawk Lodge No. 11 carries its name from Black Hawk, Colorado, the Gilpin County mining town where it was chartered on October 1, 1866. It is one of the older surviving lodges in the state, born during the gold and silver rush that drove Colorado's early settlement. The lodge eventually relocated to Denver, where it now meets on Morrison Road in the southwest of the city. Denver Lodge No. 5 has described it as one of Colorado's more relaxed lodges, noting that it brought its mountain casual traditions with it to the city. Ladies and guests are welcome for dinner. Contact information is available through the Grand Lodge of Colorado lodge locator at coloradofreemasons.org.
Harmony Lodge No. 61 — Chartered 1884
3795 S. Knox Court, Denver, CO 80236 | harmonylodgecolorado.org
Stated communications: 2nd and 4th Mondays | 7:00 p.m.
Harmony Lodge No. 61 was chartered on September 17, 1884, making it one of the older surviving Denver lodges. A 1912 Masonic directory for Denver listed it among the prominent lodges of the city, alongside Denver No. 5, Union No. 7, and Schiller No. 41. The lodge now meets in southwest Denver on South Knox Court, continuing a tradition of Masonic fellowship in the city's residential districts that stretches back more than 140 years.
Oriental Lodge No. 87 — Chartered 1891
1614 Welton Street, Denver, CO 80202 | oriental87.org
Stated communications: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays | Dinner at 6:00 p.m., lodge at 7:00 p.m.
Oriental Lodge No. 87 was founded by 59 petitioners including 14 members of Denver Lodge No. 5 and 24 members of Union Lodge No. 7. It received its dispensation on June 15, 1891, and its charter on September 15, 1891. The lodge has met in the heart of downtown Denver since its founding and has offered college scholarships annually since 1953, without regard to race, religion, or Masonic affiliation.
Highlands Lodge No. 86 — Chartered 1891
Highlands Masonic Temple, 3550 Federal Boulevard, Denver, CO 80211 | (303) 455-9768 | highlandslodge86.org
Stated communications: 1st and 3rd Fridays | Dinner at 6:00 p.m., lodge at 7:00 p.m.
Highlands Lodge No. 86 was instituted under dispensation in 1890 and chartered on September 15, 1891, to serve the Highlands neighborhood, then one of Denver's fastest-growing residential districts. The lodge's original home at 3220 North Federal Boulevard — a Classical Revival building constructed in 1905 — is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The lodge now meets at the Highlands Masonic Temple at 3550 Federal Boulevard, a larger building designed by the Hoyt brothers in 1927 and also NRHP-listed, which anchors the neighborhood's Masonic presence today.
South Denver Lodge No. 93 — Chartered 1893
350 South Broadway, Denver, CO 80209 | southdenver93.org
Stated communications: 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, September through May | Dinner at 6:30 p.m., lodge at 7:15 p.m.
South Denver Lodge No. 93 was chartered on September 20, 1893, with Isum S. Elrod as its first Worshipful Master. The lodge's early years coincided with a sharp economic downturn in the mid-1890s, and the charter came close to being surrendered in 1895 before Worshipful Master David Cinnamond held it together. By 1960, the lodge had grown to a membership of 1,297. It meets today at 350 South Broadway, a building it has long shared with other Denver Masonic bodies, and maintains an active program including community scholarships.
Park Hill Lodge No. 148 — Chartered c. 1916
4819 East Montview Boulevard, Denver, CO 80207 | lodge148.org
Stated communications: 1st and 3rd Thursdays | Dinner at 6:30 p.m., meeting at 7:30 p.m.
Park Hill Lodge No. 148 grew from the Park Hill neighborhood itself. For several years prior to its organization, Park Hill had developed into one of Denver's most attractive newer residential areas, and its Mason residents recognized the need for a lodge closer to home. A meeting was held on August 5, 1915, at Montview Boulevard Presbyterian Church, and a motion to establish a Masonic lodge carried before the evening was over. The lodge held its last communication at the church on November 19, 1925, thanking the congregation by formal resolution for its years of hospitality. Park Hill Lodge has met at its current location on Montview Boulevard ever since.
East Denver Lodge No. 160 — Chartered 1924
Denver Consistory, 1370 Grant Street, Denver, CO 80203 | (303) 861-4261 | edl160.org
Stated communications: 2nd and 4th Wednesdays | 6:30 p.m.
East Denver Lodge No. 160 began as a Masonic club formed on October 3, 1923, meeting in the basement of Clayton Community Church at 28th and York Streets. Seventy Master Masons signed the petition for dispensation, which was granted on May 8, 1924. The lodge was constituted on September 17, 1924, and by 1960 had 514 members. It now meets at the Denver Consistory building on Grant Street and describes its mission explicitly as restoring the Masonic order to its role as a serious initiatic tradition, with Masonic education at the center of every communication.
Jacques DeMolay Lodge No. 171 — Chartered 1949
Scottish Rite Masonic Center, 1370 Grant Street, Denver, CO 80203 | (303) 861-4261 | denverconsistory.org
District 55
Jacques DeMolay Lodge No. 171 was chartered on September 14, 1949, under the auspices of the Grand Lodge of Colorado. The lodge meets at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center on Grant Street, a Neo-Classical building completed in 1925 and located near the Colorado State Capitol. The lodge takes its name from Jacques de Molay, the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar, who was arrested in 1307 and burned at the stake in Paris in 1314. De Molay's martyrdom is commemorated in the York Rite and holds an enduring symbolic significance throughout Masonic tradition. The Order of DeMolay, a youth organization for young men affiliated with Freemasonry, also takes its name from the same figure and remains active in Colorado today.
Centennial Lodge No. 84 — Chartered 2002
1614 Welton Street, Denver, CO 80202
Stated communications: 2nd Thursday of the month | 7:00 p.m.
Centennial Lodge No. 84 was chartered on January 26, 2002, at 1614 Welton Street. The number 84 carries historical resonance in Colorado Masonry — it had been held by an earlier lodge — and its adoption by this lodge connects it to that lineage. The lodge maintains active engagement with Colorado's DeMolay chapters, offering younger Masons and prospective members a view of the Craft at work. Contact information is available through the Grand Lodge of Colorado lodge locator at coloradofreemasons.org.
L.N. Greenleaf Lodge No. 169 — Chartered 1928
1614 Welton Street, Denver, CO 80202
Stated communications: 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, September through May | 7:00 p.m.
L.N. Greenleaf Lodge No. 169 was chartered on September 18, 1928, and is named after Lawrence Nichols Greenleaf (1838-1922), one of the most significant figures in early Denver Masonry. Greenleaf arrived during the gold rush era, built the first two-story brick building on Larimer Street, and served as Worshipful Master of Denver Lodge No. 5 in 1866, 1868, and 1869. He later served as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Colorado. He is best remembered for his poem "The Lodge Room Over Simpkins' Store," which earned him the informal title of Poet Laureate of Freemasonry alongside Rob Morris. The lodge that bears his name meets at the same Welton Street address where Greenleaf did his own Masonic work more than 150 years ago. Contact information is available through the Grand Lodge of Colorado lodge locator at coloradofreemasons.org.
Paul Revere Lodge No. 130 — Chartered 2009
Highlands Masonic Temple, 3550 Federal Boulevard, Denver, CO 80211 | paulreveremasons.org
Stated communications: 1st and 3rd Wednesdays | Dinner at 6:00 p.m., lodge at 7:00 p.m.
Paul Revere Lodge No. 130 was chartered on January 24, 2009, through the consolidation of five predecessor lodges: Arapahoe No. 130, Arvada Nos. 130 and 141, Paul Revere No. 162, and Westminster No. 176. The lodge is named for Paul Revere, who served as Worshipful Master nine times across two Boston lodges and as Grand Master of Massachusetts. The lodge operated from the Westminster Masonic Center until February 2025, when that building was sold, and relocated to the Highlands Masonic Temple at 3550 Federal Boulevard. Lodge motto: Freemasonry in Action.
Prince Hall Freemasonry in Denver
The Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Colorado was formed on January 17, 1876, and today maintains a compact of mutual recognition with the Grand Lodge of Colorado, with concurrent jurisdiction across the state. Denver is home to several active Prince Hall lodges. The oldest and most historically significant is Rocky Mountain Lodge No. 1.
Rocky Mountain Lodge No. 1, P.H.A. — Organized 1867
4200 East Colfax Avenue, Denver, CO | rml1.org
Rocky Mountain Lodge No. 1 is the oldest Prince Hall lodge in Colorado and the founding lodge of Colorado's Prince Hall Masonic tradition. It was organized in Denver on November 17, 1867, as part of the Kansas jurisdiction, before Colorado had its own Prince Hall Grand Lodge. When the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Colorado was formed in 1876 — the same year Colorado achieved statehood — Rocky Mountain Lodge No. 1 was among its founding lodges and held the first charter number in the new jurisdiction.
The lodge takes its name from the Rocky Mountains and its history is rooted in Denver's Five Points neighborhood, the historic center of Black Denver from the 1860s through the mid-twentieth century. Its founding reflects the active African American community in Denver during the territorial era, working men who brought the Masonic tradition with them and built a lasting institution from it. The lodge remains active today and participates in the inter-jurisdictional traveling gavel tradition with mainstream lodges, including Marquis de Lafayette Lodge No. 41.
Three additional Prince Hall lodges serve the Denver area: Mount Evans Lodge No. 7 P.H.A. (organized 1960, founded by members of Rocky Mountain Lodge No. 1) and others organized in subsequent decades as Denver's African American Masonic community grew. For a full accounting of Prince Hall lodges in the Denver area, consult the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Colorado at mwphglco.org.
A Note for Visiting Masons
Any of the mainstream lodges listed above will welcome a traveling Mason from a recognized jurisdiction, with proper credentials. Oriental Lodge No. 87, Denver Lodge No. 5, and South Denver Lodge No. 93 each explicitly note that visiting brothers are always welcome. Contact details for each lodge are available through the Grand Lodge of Colorado's lodge locator at coloradofreemasons.org. For Prince Hall lodges, contact information is available through the Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Colorado at mwphglco.org.
Sources: Denver Lodge No. 5 history and news (denver5.org); Oriental Lodge No. 87 (oriental87.org); Union Lodge No. 7 and Centennial No. 84, East Denver No. 160, Black Hawk No. 11, Jacques DeMolay No. 171, Harmony No. 61, South Denver No. 93 (co.moriapp.com); South Denver Lodge No. 93 history (southdenver93.org); Park Hill Lodge No. 148 history (lodge148.org); Paul Revere Lodge No. 130 (paulreveremasons.org); Highlands Lodge No. 86 (highlandslodge86.org); Highlands Masonic Center (denverarchitecture.org); Scottish Rite Masonic Center, Denver (denverconsistory.org, denverarchitecture.org); Lawrence N. Greenleaf biography (Grand Lodge of Colorado records); Rocky Mountain Lodge No. 1 PHA (rml1.org, mwphglco.org); Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Colorado history (pikespeak5.com, mountevanslodge7.com); Most Worshipful Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Colorado calendar (mwphglco.org); Masonic Temple Building and Highlands Masonic Lodge, NRHP nominations (npgallery.nps.gov).