All photos: Arthur W. Pierson, 32°, Pierson Photography
Built atop Shooter’s Hill in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, the George Washington Masonic National Memorial is the supreme expression of American Freemasonry’s devotion to its most esteemed brother. The Memorial was constructed entirely with voluntary contributions from members of the Masonic Fraternity and is the only unified charity of the Grand Lodges in the United States. It is open free to the public seven days a week.
The Memorial’s genesis derived from Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22 accumulating many important artifacts related to Washington and his participation in the fraternity. In 1908, under the direction of Wor. Charles H. Callahan, the Lodge began considering plans to build a fireproof building. Soon other prominent Masons took an interest in the project, and in 1910, eighteen representatives from various Grand Lodges met in Alexandria and formed the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association. Nearly twelve years passed before enough money had been raised to purchase the land and hire the New York architectural firm of Helmle and Corbett. On June 5, 1922, President of the Association and Past Grand Master of Pennsylvania Louis Watres, along with a small group of Masons, broke ground. Eighteen months later, President Calvin Coolidge participated in the Masonic cornerstone ceremony. Joining him were Masons from all over the nation with each Grand Lodge depositing something within the cornerstone.
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| The Memorial Hall houses the impressive 17 foot bronze statue of George Washington dedicated by President and Brother Harry S. Truman, 33°, in 1950. |
Throughout the rest of the decade and as Masons donated money, the Memorial rose slowly above Alexandria. Even the onset of the Great Depression did not stop the work. Standing 333 feet, the building includes nearly 75,000 tons of cement, sand, gravel and steel with more than a million feet of lumber. Finally in 1932, during the bicentennial of Washington’s birth, nearly 40,000 Freemasons from all over the nation participated in the formal dedication of the Memorial. President Herbert Hoover was the guest of honor and Louis Watres, who worked for over ten years on the project, presided over the ceremonies.
Originally conceived as a Grecian Temple with each successive level being a smaller temple, the design was later altered to more closely resemble the ancient lighthouse of Alexandria, Egypt, and to house elevator motors. This design included electric beacons that could have been seen from over fifty miles in each direction. The exterior uses three classical columns—Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian—from bottom to top, representing the Masonic virtues so practiced by George Washington.
The heart of the Memorial is Memorial Hall supported by polished granite composite columns. Placed within the west wall niche is a colossal bronze statue of Washington. Over seventeen feet high and weighing more than seven tons, it was sculpted by Bryant Baker and was a gift of the Order of DeMolay. Washington is represented as the Master of his Lodge, wearing his apron, Master’s jewel, and standing with a gavel before the Master’s chair. President and Past Grand Master of Masons in Missouri, Harry S. Truman, dedicated the Washington statue on February 22, 1950.
On the south and north walls are murals painted by Allyn Cox in the 1950s. The south mural depicts Washington laying the cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol in 1793. The north mural shows Washington attending a Masonic St. John observance service at Philadelphia’s Christ Church in 1788. Above the murals are exquisite stain glass windows of several prominent Freemasons, including Benjamin Franklin, Lafayette, and Joseph Warren.
Just off Memorial Hall is Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22’s Replica Lodge Room. It contains the original furniture used during Washington’s life and into the early part of the eighteenth century. Here are displayed some of the most important American Masonic artifacts including the apron sent to Washington by Watson and Cassoul during the War for Independence; it is the one worn by him at the Capitol cornerstone ceremony. Accompanying it is the trowel that was not only used by Washington at that ceremony, but also at numerous other cornerstone ceremonies in American and Masonic history. Also in the Replica Lodge Room is Washington’s old leather library chair that he personally donated to the Lodge. It was used by the presiding Masters for 118 years. Another special relic is Washington’s bedchamber clock. The clock was stopped at 10:20 p.m., December 14, 1799, the exact moment of his death. Lastly, there is the original portrait of Washington taken from life wearing his Masonic regalia.
Complementing Memorial Hall and the Replica Lodge Room is the George Washington Museum located on the fourth floor. One of the most spacious rooms in the tower area, here the visitor is given an overview of the many aspects of Washington’s life as a planter, soldier, politician, and Freemason. Within the display cases are such important artifacts as Washington’s family Bible, a leather field trunk that Washington used throughout the Revolutionary War, and another impressive statue of Washington as a Freemason. Through the generosity of the Northern and Southern Masonic Jurisdictions of the Scottish Rite, the Museum was fully renovated in 2003.
Within the tower are several rooms with displays on various Masonic organizations. The third floor is dedicated to the Grotto, the fifth to Royal Arch Masonry, the seventh to Royal and Select Masters and the eighth to the Knights Templar. The ninth floor is the observation deck but also contains displays related to the Tall Cedars of Lebanon. The Memorial’s Library, created largely through a donation of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, is located on the sixth floor. The Library contains a near complete set of U.S. Grand Lodge proceedings, and although closed to the public, it is available to researchers by appointment.
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| Above: The eighth floor Knights Templar chapel is adorned with beautiful stained glass windows and provides a quiet place for reflection and prayer. Below: The National Sojourner display is one of several throughout the memorial informing visitors of Masonic organizations, including the Order of DeMolay, York Rite College, and High Twelve International. |
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Lastly, the Memorial’s large theatre is used for symposiums, concerts, and community events. Above the stage is the Washington family crest, and displayed within the stage backdrop is an original portrait of Washington as a Lodge Master painted by Hattie Elizabeth Burdette. Commissioned in 1932 for the bicentennial of his birth, reproductions were sent to nearly every Lodge in the United States. Second to Gilbert Stuart’s portrait, it is perhaps the most reproduced image of Washington.
Beyond the formal parts of the tour, there are numerous other smaller displays throughout the Memorial informing visitors of other Masonic organizations, such as the Order of DeMolay, National Sojourners, York Rite College, and High Twelve International. Most prominent are the two Shrine rooms. The west room explains the history of the Shrine. The east room, although still delighting visitors with its large scale model of a Shriners’ parade, is dedicated to the Shrine hospitals and charities. The rooms were recently renovated and completely funded by the Shrine of North America. The Memorial also contains two large Lodge rooms. The South Lodge is the meeting place for Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22, while in the North Lodge, Andrew Jackson Lodge No. 120 and several local Masonic bodies meet.
All brothers, their families and the public are warmly invited to visit the Memorial. As the first and only truly Masonic charity, the Memorial is supported by fifty-two U.S. Grand Lodges. The Memorial is not only dedicated to George Washington the man and Mason, but dedicated to preserving and promoting Freemasonry’s rich history. For directions and further information, please visit our web site: www.gwmemorial.org.
