Masons' Hall

08/04/2026

Born on this day in 1757, John James Beckley may be the closest thing the founding era had to Forrest Gump. He seems to appear at one major moment after another.

Beckley arrived in Virginia from England at just eleven years old as an indentured servant. Through his extraordinary abilities as a clerk, penman, and political organizer, he rose to become mayor of Richmond and a member of Richmond Lodge No. 10, the lodge that constructed Masons’ Hall.

He served as secretary of Virginia’s convention to ratify the United States Constitution and, in 1789, became the first Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. When Congress approved twelve proposed amendments to the Constitution that September, Beckley engrossed and signed the official manuscript sent to the states. Ten of those amendments were eventually ratified and became what we know today as the Bill of Rights.

That means the signature at the bottom of one of America’s foundational documents belongs to a Freemason connected with Masons’ Hall.

And Beckley’s story did not end there. He became one of Thomas Jefferson’s most energetic political organizers, helped establish the working procedures of the new House of Representatives, and was later appointed the first Librarian of Congress.

Beckley never became one of the household-name Founders. Yet wherever the machinery of the new republic was being assembled, he was usually somewhere nearby—organizing, recording, campaigning, and, quite literally, putting pen to parchment.

John James Beckley is not one of the household names of the founding generation, but his signature remains on the document that sent the proposed Bill of Rights to the states. He was also a member of Richmond Lodge No. 10, one of the lodges that met at Masons’ Hall.

Not bad for a boy who arrived in Virginia as an indentured servant.

08/01/2026

Mathew Maggy, Masons’ Hall Historic Preservation Foundation board chair was asked to give a presentation about the historic significance of Masons’ Hall this past week at Angier Lodge #686 near Raleigh, North Carolina. It

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07/31/2026

One of the questions we've been asked is, "What exactly is an Existing Conditions Assessment?"

The answer is...a lot of climbing, measuring, documenting, and investigating.

This week Landmark Preservation Consultants have been examining everything from the attic framing to concealed floor systems, carefully documenting the building's condition. It's painstaking work, but this information will help guide preservation decisions for years to come.

Here are a few behind-the-scenes photos from the assessment in progress.

07/30/2026

Today marked an exciting milestone for Masons' Hall.

The Existing Conditions Assessment is officially underway!

Over the coming months, Landmark Preservation Consultants will conduct a comprehensive examination of the building—from the attic framing and roof structure to the floors, foundations, and everything in between. This work will document the condition of one of America's oldest Masonic buildings and one of Richmond's oldest building and help us prioritize future preservation efforts with solid data.

It's fascinating to watch preservation happen. Every measurement, inspection, and discovery helps us better understand how this remarkable building has survived for more than two centuries and what it will need to survive for the next two.

This project was made possible through the generosity of the Roller-Bottimore Foundation and many individual supporters. Thank you to everyone who has helped us reach this point.

The work has begun, and we're looking forward to sharing what we learn along the way.

07/19/2026

A very memorable day at Historic Masons’ Hall as Virginia State Delegate Buddy Fowler presented Joint House Resolution No. 63 commending The Masons’ Hall Historic Preservation Foundation for its efforts in preserving Masons’ Hall and interpreting its importance to the United States, the Commonwealth of Virginia, and the City of Richmond.

The presentation was followed by a presentation about the history of the building by Matthew Maggy, Worshipful Master of Richmond Randolph Lodge No.19, and a tour for those attending.

For more information about how you contribute to the ongoing restoration efforts of Historic Masons’ Hall, America’s oldest masonic lodge building, please visit masonshall.org

07/04/2026

As we celebrate Independence Day, we remember that the American Revolution did more than secure our nation’s freedom. It shaped the generation that would build the United States.

At Masons’ Hall, young men such as John Marshall and Edmund Randolph and many others gathered as Brothers during a time of uncertainty and sacrifice. Both came of age in the crucible of the Revolution, and those experiences helped define the principles they later carried into public service.

Marshall would become the nation’s fourth Chief Justice, establishing many of the foundations of American constitutional law. Randolph served as Virginia’s first Governor after independence, the first Attorney General of the United States, and played a leading role at the Constitutional Convention.

Their achievements did not begin in positions of power. They began as young Virginians living through a revolution that demanded courage, perseverance, and a willingness to imagine a new nation.

As we reflect on the birth of the United States, we are proud that Masons’ Hall was home to men who helped turn the ideals of independence into the institutions that continue to shape our country nearly 250 years later.

Happy Independence Day from Masons’ Hall.

Learn more or schedule a tour at http://www.MasonsHall.org

04/12/2026

On April 11, 1791, George Washington arrived in Richmond as part of his three-and-a-half-month, 1,900-mile Southern Tour of the United States. A cannon salute marked his arrival, and that evening he viewed the newly constructed state capitol, specially illuminated in his honor.

On April 12, he toured the progress of the James River Canal, a project with which he was closely associated, having served as honorary president of the James River Company since its formation in 1785. During its first four years, the acting president was Edmund Randolph, namesake of Richmond Randolph Lodge No. 19, which met at Masons’ Hall. Randolph served in that role until Washington appointed him the first Attorney General of the United States.

A committee of six was appointed by Richmond’s Common Council (now known as the City Council) to prepare an address for the President. The committee included Mayor George Nicholson, Recorder David Lambert, John Barrett, Alexander McRobert, Robert Mitchell, and Henry Banks. All were Freemasons and members of lodges meeting at Masons’ Hall at the time, either Richmond Lodge No. 10 or Richmond Randolph Lodge No. 19, and were tasked with delivering the address.

On April 13, Washington toured the city, which he had not visited since 1784, when he had promoted navigation improvements to the James River—efforts that ultimately led to the canal’s development. Reflecting on the city’s growth, he wrote in his diary:

“The buildings in this place have encreased a good deal since I was here last.”

Besides the new capitol building and the courthouse, Masons’ Hall stood as one of the most active buildings in the city. In addition to hosting Masonic meetings for its resident Masonic lodges and its status at the Grand Lodge of Virginia, it was used for Common Council gatherings, Hustings Court proceedings, public meetings, religious services, entertainment, and even a dance academy.

While no surviving written account specificallh confirms that Washington visited Masons’ Hall, early twentieth-century tourist maps identify it as a site he visited. Given its prominence in the still small capitol of the commonwealth, Washington’s status as an active Freemason, and the company he kept with active members of the buikding’s lodges during his visit, he most assuredly observed the building that day.

That evening, President Washington was entertained a few blocks away on Main Street at the Eagle Tavern. On the morning of April 14, he departed Richmond, crossing to Manchester for breakfast, where he again received a cannon salute, before continuing on to Petersburg, where he attended a ball held in his honor at the Masonic hall there.

04/07/2026

Appreciate St. John's Church Foundation for recording and sharing this.

Reverend John Buchanan, rector of St. John’s from 1785–1822, was a connector—bringing together Richmond’s religious, civic, and charitable communities in its earliest years.

As a member of Richmond Masonic Lodge No. 10 and part of the early story of Masons’ Hall, his legacy is still visible in the institutions that remain today.

Matthew Maggy, President of the Mason's Hall Historic Preservation Foundation, discusses the life of Reverend and Mason John S. Buchanan.

04/03/2026

On this day, April 3, 1865, the city of Richmond fell to Union forces following the evacuation of Confederate troops the night before. Fires set during the retreat devastated large portions of the city, leaving destruction and hardship in their wake.

Several years ago, the original lodge treasurer’s ledgers of Richmond Randolph Lodge No. 19 were rediscovered and preserved at Masons’ Hall, offering a powerful firsthand account of that day.

Federal troops entered Richmond and posted guards at key locations, including Masons’ Hall, to protect them from looting and further damage.

The ledger records:

“On the third day of April 1865, evacuation of the Confederate Army, a large portion of the city destroyed by fire, about 20 millions property lost, Confederate money worthless, left a balance of $2500 in the hands of the Treasurer. Misery, helpless brethren, widows and orphans left to our charity.”

Despite holding funds rendered nearly useless by the collapse of Confederate currency, the officers and members of the lodge stepped forward, providing aid and relief to distressed brethren, widows, and orphans in the aftermath of the city’s fall.

Beginning construction just after the American Revolution in 1785, the building of Masons’ Hall was led by early city leaders and American founding fathers Edmund Randolph and John Marshall and it remains the oldest continuously used Masonic lodge building in America. It has long served as a center of civic, social, and cultural life in Richmond and continues that legacy today as the home of Richmond Randolph Lodge No. 19 A.F.&A.M.

Occasionally open for tours and events, Masons’ Hall stands as one of Richmond’s most powerful living connections to its past. More information about how you can help our preservation efforts can be found at masonshall.org

03/15/2026

March 14th is officially recognized as “Lafayette Day” here in the City of Richmond, Virginia. We’re proud to have hosted the Marquis de Lafayette himself here at Masons’ Hall on October 30, 1824, during the Revolutionary War heroes' return tour of the United States. He was made an honorary member of Richmond Randolph No.19 during his visit.