Waco Masonic Lodge 92

Waco Masonic Lodge 92 Waco Masonic Lodge No. 92 is the oldest organization of any kind in continuous existence in Waco, TX. Since then, thousands of Wacoans have joined our ranks.

We first met in 1851 above a little dry goods store owned by one of our charter members. Waco 92 is the oldest organization of any kind in Waco. Freemasonry is all about making good men better by improving themselves and improving the community around them. Our first members were arriving in the area during the 1840s and Waco 92 took form when it received its charter in 1852. Since then, we have l

ed the way in central Texas in business, education, charity, and generally all aspects of society. The Suspension Bridge, Baylor University, TCU, and Texas A&M all saw their early developments led by members of Waco 92. Today we continue that tradition and offer scholarships to local youth and support such programs as Salvation Army, Mission Waco, Porcelain Dolls, Camp Success, and many more.

Freemasons and our Lodges have participated in many kinds of charitable efforts over the centuries, often for children. ...
08/28/2026

Freemasons and our Lodges have participated in many kinds of charitable efforts over the centuries, often for children. One initiative that we frequently work on is literacy.

Dolly Parton may have done more for childhood literacy than any other person so far in the 21st century so we salute that important part of her legacy with this photograph of her in the Grand Lodge of Tennessee. It was taken in 2006 for a Vaniry Fair article. Behind her, you can see the traditional checkered pavement like you will find in most Masonic Temples. It can be interpreted in many ways but one of the oldest and most commonly taught explanations is that it represents the choices we are given throughout life between good and evil, virtue and vice, etc. Masons use it as a reminder that when we "travel" through life's journey, we must do our best to choose good. The outpouring of love for Dolly from many different kinds of people this week suggests that even though she wasn't a Mason, she was quite the Master of this old lesson.

Dolly's longtime road manager and fellow musician Don Warden was a Scottish Rite Mason. When he died, Dolly said he was "like a father, a brother, a partner and one of my best friends."After linking careers on the Porter Wagoner Show, Bro. Warden was her road manager for 43 years.

Resquiat en pace, Dolly. Thank you for helping so, so many kids.

Happy Slurpee Day!Did you know a member of Waco Lodge was responsible for taking the slurpee worldwide?In 1948, our late...
07/11/2026

Happy Slurpee Day!

Did you know a member of Waco Lodge was responsible for taking the slurpee worldwide?

In 1948, our late Brother Vaughn Heady began work with 7-Eleven as a clerk in Fort Worth just a few years after graduating from Weatherford College. Soon thereafter, he was transferred to be a store manager in Waco where he joined Waco Masonic Lodge. In 1955, he became a regional manager for all of North Texas. Eventually, Vaughn was in control of nearly 4,000 stores across and directly involved with taking 7-Eleven to Japan, Hong Kong, Manila, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur.

One of the founding directors of 7-Eleven, from its time as the Southland Ice Company, was John Philip Thompson who had this to say about Brother Heady:

"Vaughn was significant in the development and growth of the 7-Eleven stores in Texas, the US and even in Japan. He started with 7-Eleven in Ft. Worth in the 1940’s as just a clerk and eventually ran all of the company operated stores in America and Canada. He and two other men were selected by John and Jere to assist Southland in analyzing the potential for 7-Eleven stores in Japan. And then when the Japanese began operations, he helped them select their early store locations. But mainly he ran the stores in Texas. He trained so many of the future managers of the stores. He also chose many, many of the store locations. Once he shared with me that he could drive without assistance to all 7-Elevens in Texas. We had over 600 stores here at that time. That was a pretty amazing fact. I always referred to him as my mentor. He was respected by everyone who worked under him. He was never called Vaughn, but Mr. Heady. He was a great man.”

The longest existing organization of any kind in central Texas has once again turned over a new year and installed new o...
06/29/2026

The longest existing organization of any kind in central Texas has once again turned over a new year and installed new officers just as it does every year on the summer solstice and has been doing since first meeting in the old Walker & Toole store when Waco was still just a village in the Wild West days of 1851.

With 50ish men and women in attendance, this group of men inherited Waco's oldest legacy and will carry it forth for a year. That legacy includes three Texas governors, the inventor of Dr Pepper, a Hall of Fame baseball pitcher, the Father of Labor Rights in America, and several thousands of other men who left their marks in their own ways. It has survived multiple fires and other forms of adversity.

How will the legacy grow this year?

Here is Governor Ann Richards releasing a rehabilitated bald eagle along the Rio Grande near Lajitas in 1993. Her father...
05/30/2026

Here is Governor Ann Richards releasing a rehabilitated bald eagle along the Rio Grande near Lajitas in 1993. Her father, Robert Willis, was a member of Waco Masonic Lodge for over 30 years. Our members raise strong daughters!

Prior to her leadership, Waco Lodge also had three of its members serve as Governors of Texas in the past since our Lodge first met in 1851.

Thanks, Traces of Texas, for posting!

Here are a few of our longtime members at the Baylor Club last week for a night honoring past masters of the Lodge, led ...
05/14/2026

Here are a few of our longtime members at the Baylor Club last week for a night honoring past masters of the Lodge, led by our current WM Paul Curttright

Our very own past master was chosen as the keynote speaker for the 2026 Midwest Masonic Conference on Masonic Education...
05/02/2026

Our very own past master was chosen as the keynote speaker for the 2026 Midwest Masonic Conference on Masonic Education. Here he is with the other lecturers who were all oustanding in their perspectives on how to improve education in Masonic Lodges nationwide.

Several of them also survived a Hot Ones challenge so the audience could indulge in some good ol' schadenfreude.

Teddy Roosevelt became a Master Mason on this day in 1901. Eleven years later, he became the first president to have his...
04/24/2026

Teddy Roosevelt became a Master Mason on this day in 1901. Eleven years later, he became the first president to have his photo(first below) taken while wearing Masonic regalia during a visit to Spokane, Washington.

The other photos of Teddy were taken by Waco Lodge member Fred Gildersleeve, a pioneer in the field of photography, who developed a friendship with Roosevelt over the years. It all began with a bet between friends!

In 1909, Teddy was on his way back from a Rough Riders reunion in San Antonio when he stopped to give a speech at the train station in Waco. He had a reputation for not smiling in portraits. Brother Gildersleeve took up a friend on a bet that he wouldn’t scream at the President so he hollered, “SHOW YOUR TEETH, TEDDY!” and snapped a photo(second below). Not only did he win the wager but Roosevelt laughed and responded, “Bring him up here. I want to shake that young man’s hand.” Two years later, Gildersleeve snapped a series of photographs when Roosevelt again visited Waco(the remaining photos) and the two Masons developed a friendship.

Another chance for a laugh happened at a rally Teddy put on a few years later. Gildersleeve's elderly mother was a big fan of Roosevelt so he decided to take her to the rally while on a visit to see her in St. Louis. While the beloved politician made his way through the crowd, Gildersleeve yelled out to his mother, "Hey, look, Ma! It's Teddy. Let's go say hi." Gildersleeve's mother was appalled and began to scold her son for speaking so informally about so great and good a man as Roosevelt who turned around and exclaimed, "Hey Fred! It's good to see you." and shook Gildersleeve's hand. The two Brothers then began to chat as old friends do.

This was a lifelong highlight in Gildersleeve's career due to his mother's delight at her son being on such friendly terms with the President, a story she repeatedly told for the rest of her life.

Other Presidents who visited Waco Lodge or met with members of it here include:
Sam Houston(1860), Teddy Roosevelt(1909), William Taft(1920), Calvin Coolidge, FDR(1936), Harry Truman(1947), Dwight Eisenhower(1956), LBJ(1965), and Gerald...

Teddy Roosevelt became a Master Mason on this day in 1901. Eleven years later, he became the first president to have his...
04/24/2026

Teddy Roosevelt became a Master Mason on this day in 1901. Eleven years later, he became the first president to have his photo(first below) taken while wearing Masonic regalia during a visit to Spokane, Washington.

The other photos of Teddy were taken by Waco Lodge member Fred Gildersleeve, a record breaker and pioneer in the field of photography, who developed a friendship with Roosevelt over the years. It all began with a bet between friends!

In 1909, Teddy was on his way back from a Rough Riders reunion in San Antonio when he stopped to give a speech at the train station in Waco. He had a reputation for not smiling in portraits. Brother Gildersleeve took up a friend on a bet that he wouldn’t scream at the President so he hollered, “SHOW YOUR TEETH, TEDDY!” and snapped a photo(second below). Not only did he win the wager but Roosevelt laughed and responded, “Bring him up here. I want to shake that young man’s hand.” Two years later, Gildersleeve snapped a series of photographs when Roosevelt again visited Waco(the remaining photos) and the two Masons developed a friendship.

Another opportunity for a laugh happened at a rally Teddy put on a few years later. Gildersleeve's elderly mother was a big fan of Roosevelt so he decided to take her to the rally while on a visit to see her in St. Louis. While the beloved politician made his way through the crowd, Gildersleeve yelled out to his mother, "Hey, look, Ma! It's Teddy. Let's go say hi." Gildersleeve's mother was appalled and began to scold her son for speaking so informally about so great and good a man as Roosevelt who turned around and exclaimed, "Hey Fred! It's good to see you." and shook Gildersleeve's hand. The two Brothers then began to chat as old friends do.

This was apparently a lifelong highlight in Gildersleeve's career due to his mother's delight at her son being on such friendly terms with the President, a story she repeatedly told for the rest of her life.

Other Presidents who visited Waco Lodge or met with members of it here include:
Sam Houston(1860), Teddy Roosevelt(1909), William Taft(1920), Calvin Coolidge, FDR(1936), Harry Truman(1947), Dwight Eisenhower(1956), LBJ(1965), and Gerald Ford(1976) and Jimmy Carter(1993@Grand Lodge). All of the interactions have accompanying stories that are, in my opinion, at least as interesting as the Teddy stories above.

Address

4324 Cobbs Dr
Waco, TX
76710

Opening Hours

1pm - 7pm

Telephone

(254) 772-1801

Website

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