Miners Lodge #273

03/14/2026

03/12/2026

Discussion for Lodge tonight. Team road crew shirts are in.

03/04/2026

A reminder to Brothers that we are meeting with Henry at his studio www.stonedartstudio.com We have a 2:00 pm appointment this afternoon. We will be receiving the Brother and General Ely Parker portrait.

02/27/2026

Brethren: Notice of proposed bylaw change to increase the Secretary's stipend from $200 to $500. The existing stipend has been $200 for at least 25 years.

02/26/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1Kyw1k2tCv/?mibextid=wwXIfr

📜 This Day in Masonic History — February 26

🎂 Born February 26, 1846 — William Frederick Cody
Better known to the world as Buffalo Bill 🤠

Born in the frontier town of LeClaire, Iowa, Cody’s life became the very symbol of the untamed American West. By 11 he was working cattle drives. By 14 he was riding for the Pony Express 🐎. He later served as a Union scout during the Civil War and was awarded the Medal of Honor for gallantry.

His nickname “Buffalo Bill” came from his time supplying meat to railroad crews — reportedly hunting thousands of bison across the Plains. 🦬

But Cody didn’t stop at surviving the West — he turned it into legend.

In 1883 he launched Buffalo Bill’s Wild West 🎪 — a touring spectacle of sharpshooting, riding feats, and frontier reenactments that captivated millions across America and Europe for three decades… even performing before Queen Victoria 👑.

📐 Buffalo Bill the Freemason

Behind the cowboy image stood a Mason devoted to brotherhood and charity.

He was initiated into Platte Valley Lodge No. 32 in North Platte, Nebraska on March 5, 1870.
🔹 Passed: April 2, 1870
🔹 Raised to Master Mason: January 10, 1871 (his 25th birthday)

He embraced the York Rite, becoming a Knight Templar ⚔️, and in 1894 the Scottish Rite conferred the 4° through 32° upon him in a single day in New York City.

He was also active among the Shriners and supported Masonic charitable causes throughout his life. When he passed in 1917, he received full Masonic funeral honors — a final tribute to a brother whose public legend was matched by private fraternity. 🔔

🏗 More Than a Showman

Cody’s legacy wasn’t just entertainment. He:
• Advocated for women’s rights and featured pioneers like Annie Oakley 🎯
• Employed hundreds of Indigenous performers, offering economic opportunity and cultural preservation 🪶
• Promoted conservation efforts, including buffalo protection
• Helped develop Cody, Wyoming with irrigation projects 🌾

Was his Wild West romanticized? Of course.
But he also built bridges, platforms, and opportunities in ways rare for his time.

From Pony Express rider to global icon…
From frontier scout to Master Mason…

February 26 reminds us that Masonry is not confined to the Lodge room. It rides into the world with us.

Adventure fades.
Reputation shifts.
But integrity and brotherhood endure.

📖
🤠 📐 ⚔️

02/21/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1DKhkDNxYH/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Galena went 7-0 to win the Illinois Masonic Academic Bowl sectional tournament at GHS today, beating River Ridge, Le-Win, East Dubuque, Stockton, Pearl City, Dakota, and Warren. That means we'll be going to the Masonic state tournament on March 7--two weeks from now)! Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!
Thanks to Rob Montgomery and the Masons of Miners Lodge 273, and to today's moderators, Tracy Jenkins, Adam Smith, and scho-bowl alumni Chris Allendorf and Sara Millhouse.

02/21/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CLbMKB9Df/?mibextid=wwXIfr

02/18/2026

The Lodge will be supporting this Saturday.

Send a message to learn more

02/16/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/1GTGAfzi1e/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Celebrating Presidents’ Day at Smithfield Masonic Lodge 🇺🇸🕊️

This Presidents’ Day, the brothers of Smithfield Masonic Lodge proudly honor the legacy of leadership, service, and commitment exemplified by the U.S. Presidents who were also Freemasons. From the very first President, George Washington, to Gerald R. Ford, these distinguished leaders not only shaped the course of our nation but also embodied the timeless principles of Freemasonry: integrity, charity, and devotion to the greater good.

Freemasonry has long been intertwined with American history. Many of our nation’s Presidents drew inspiration from Masonic values in their pursuit of justice, unity, and public service. This Presidents’ Day, we celebrate:
1. George Washington (1st President)
• Initiated at Fredericksburg Lodge No. 4, Fredericksburg, Virginia (1752).
• Elected Worshipful Master of Fredericksburg Lodge (1788).
• Laid cornerstones of national buildings in Masonic ceremonies. 

2. James Monroe (5th President)
• Initiated into St. John’s Regimental Lodge (Continental Army) and later affiliated with Williamsburg Lodge No. 6, Virginia. 

3. Andrew Jackson (7th President)
• Member of St. Tammany / Harmony Lodge No. 1, Nashville, Tennessee.
• Served as Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee (1822–1824). 

4. James K. Polk (11th President)
• Initiated at Columbia Lodge No. 31 (Tennessee).
• Later affiliated with Canton Lodge No. 60, Ohio and was a charter member of Eagle (William McKinley) Lodge No. 431. 

5. James Buchanan (15th President)
• Initiated at Lodge No. 43, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
• Served as District Deputy Grand Master for the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. 

6. Andrew Johnson (17th President)
• Initiated at Greeneville Lodge No. 119, Tennessee. 

7. James A. Garfield (20th President)
• Initiated at Magnolia Lodge No. 20, Columbus, Ohio; raised at Columbus Lodge No. 30.
• Affiliated with Garrettsville Lodge No. 246 (served as Chaplain).
• Charter member of Pentalpha Lodge No. 23 in Washington, D.C. 

8. William McKinley (25th President)
• Initiated at Hiram Lodge No. 21, Wi******er, Virginia.
• Joined Canton Lodge No. 60, Ohio and became charter member of Eagle Lodge No. 431 (later named for him). 

9. Theodore Roosevelt (26th President)
• Initiated and raised at Matinecock Lodge No. 806, Oyster Bay, New York. 

10. William H. Taft (27th President)
• Made a Mason “at sight” in Kilwinning Lodge No. 356, Cincinnati, Ohio (receiving all degrees at once). 

11. Warren G. Harding (29th President)
• Initiated at Marion Lodge No. 70, Marion, Ohio; eventually became a 32° Scottish Rite Mason. 

12. Franklin D. Roosevelt (32nd President)
• Initiated at Holland Lodge No. 8, New York City.
• Made Honorary Grand Master of the Order of DeMolay. 

13. Harry S. Truman (33rd President)
• Initiated at Belton Lodge No. 450, Missouri; became the first Worshipful Master of Grandview Lodge No. 618.
• Elected Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Missouri (1940–1941).
• Received the 33° in the Scottish Rite and was Honorary Member of its Supreme Council. 

14. Gerald R. Ford (38th President)
• Initiated at Malta Lodge No. 465, Grand Rapids, Michigan; raised at Columbia Lodge No. 3, Washington, D.C.
• Received the 33° in the Scottish Rite.
• Served as Honorary Grand Master of the Order of DeMolay. 

At Smithfield Masonic Lodge, we recognize that leadership is more than holding office—it is about dedication to principles that uplift humanity. These Presidents, through their commitment to Masonic ideals, remind us that service to our community and country goes hand in hand with integrity, brotherhood, and a steadfast moral compass.

This Presidents’ Day, we invite everyone to reflect on the enduring impact of Masonic values on American leadership and the continued role of Freemasons in shaping a brighter future for our nation.

From our Lodge to your family, Happy Presidents’ Day! May we all strive to lead with honor, courage, and compassion—just as these great men did.

**Note**

Some lists include Lyndon B. Johnson as initiated into Freemasonry but he did not progress beyond Entered Apprentice; therefore he is often excluded from the official 14 full Masonic Presidents.