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 Gallatin Lodge No. 6, A.F. & A.M. - Bozeman, MT Posted by:  T0SHEA
N 45° 40.766 W 111° 02.063
12T E 497322 N 5058431
Built in 1883 by the Masons, this building continues in use by them, meeting on the second floor Wednesdays at 7:30 PM. Since it was built, the Masons have rented out the lower floor as a source of income, a common practice among fraternal lodges.
Waymark Code: WMW5PV
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 07/12/2017
Views: 0
Chartered October 4th, 1866, right from the start the lodge had internal problems, with the Confederate and the Union sympathizers at odds to the extent that Bozeman Lodge No. 18 was formed in 1872 for the benefit of the Union sympathizers. As a result, both lodges initially struggled from having small membership numbers. Just down the street from Gallatin Lodge No. 6, Bozeman Lodge No. 18 also continues in operation.
GALLATIN LODGE NO. 6
Chartered in 1866, Gallatin Masonic Lodge No. 6 built this brick corner block in 1883 for an estimated $20,000, then a princely sum. The grandest of several buildings erected during the early 1880s following the arrival of the railroad, this Masonic temple was constructed despite an earlier schism among Bozeman’s Masons caused by opposing Civil War sympathies. Accusations that “only the sons of members or Confederates could gain admission to the Gallatin Lodge” led to the creation of Bozeman Lodge No. 18 in 1872, and both lodges struggled with small memberships. Nevertheless, the two lodges remained friendly, and the Bozeman Lodge also sometimes used this meeting hall. The Masons rented the first floor to various businesses, including Bozeman National Bank. Although the exterior of the building has been modernized, the Masons still meet on the second floor. The original carpet, imported from England in 1884 and intricately woven with Masonic symbols, remains in place. The horse sign, installed in 1968 atop the marquee to advertise a first-floor clothing store, is now a Bozeman landmark.
From the plaque at the building
Describe the area and history:
Look up to see a fibreglass horse, look around and you'll see a plethora of turn of the century buildings, but, right in front of you is the 1883 Masonic Building.
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