The first thing people notice when leaving Alexandria’s Union Station is a towering, nine-story stone memorial that shares a striking resemblance to the Alexandria (Egypt) lighthouse. It is no accident that this is what people see. The George Washington Masonic National Memorial (GWMNM or Memorial) was specifically designed and built in its current location, so visitors and locals alike could see and remember the father of our nation, His Excellency George Washington.
As the name suggests, the Memorial is associated with the Freemasons. More specifically, it is under the care and supervision of the Alexandria-Washington Freemason Lodge No. 22.
Lodge No. 22 is one of the oldest active Freemason Lodges in the United States. It was founded in Alexandria and George Washington was a member of the Lodge. Lodge No. 22 is still active to this day.
On tours of Alexandria, people are always interested in understanding the history of Freemasons. Are they a secret society behind every revolution in world history? Is there a big conspiracy? There is a lot of intrigue that swirls around the Masons. However, as one might gather from the nine-story Memorial, the secret is out!
In fact, the Freemasons want people to learn about their organization’s history including their most notable members like Benjamin Franklin, the Marquis de Lafayette, Andrew Jackson, Harry Truman, and, of course, George Washington.
Freemasonry Background
The Freemasons are a world-wide fraternal organization. The group’s rituals and traditions date back to antiquity. However, Freemasonry as it exists today can be traced to Britain in the early 1600s. The Enlightenment period in Europe contributed strongly to the growth and evolution of the organization. This is because Freemasonry stands on three pillars of influence: The Judeo-Christian faith, Medieval stonemason guilds, and the European Enlightenment.
Freemason symbols and rituals are infused with meaning and instruction about how a Freemason should live. For example, one of the notable symbols is the Masonic emblem that combines a compass, a square, and “G” in the center. The square is meant to represent honesty and truth in action. The compass teaches moderation. The “G” stands for God and geometry, which infuses both faith and reason.
In 1717 four Freemason lodges in London formed a Grand Lodge to govern themselves. Over the course of the 18th century, Freemason Lodges were established both in Europe and in America. By the middle of the 1700s when George Washington was 20 years old, we know that there was a Lodge in Fredericksburg, Virginia. George Washington joined the Fredericksburg Lodge in 1752.
While Alexandria is George Washington’s adopted hometown where he spent much of his late teenage years and adulthood. Washington spent a significant portion of his childhood in Fredericksburg, specifically at Ferry Farm. According to the GWMNM’s website, “Brother Washington received his Masonic degrees over a nine-month period. He was initiated an Entered Apprentice on November 4, 1752, passed to Fellow Craft on March 3, 1753, and raised to Master Mason on August 4, 1753.” [1]
History of the Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22
The Freemason Lodge in Alexandria was originally Lodge No. 39. It was established in 1783 under a warrant by the Provincial Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. This was in the last year of the American Revolution. [2]
Shortly after George Washington resigned his commission on December 23, 1783, there is an exchange of letters between members of Alexandria Lodge No. 39 and George Washington. The first letter was written on December 26, 1783, by members of Lodge No. 39, including Master Robert Adam. In the letter, members of the Alexandria Lodge told George Washington that they "rejoice[d] in having a Brother so near us, Whose preeminent Benevolence has secured the Happiness of Millions." [3]
George Washington replied in a letter dated December 28, 1783. In the letter, he wrote the following:
I shall always feel pleasure when it may be in my power to render service to Lodge No. 39, and in every act of brotherly kindness to the Members of it; being with great truth Your affecte Brother and Obedt Servant. [4]
Several years later, in 1788, Lodge No. 39 received a Charter from the Grand Lodge of Virginia. As a result, it became Lodge No. 22. The Lodge asked George Washington to be a Charter Master, and he agreed. Due to the Lodge’s close association with George Washington, it petitioned to have the name changed to the Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22. That petition occurred in 1804, nearly five years after George Washington’s death (1799). The petition was approved and the name was officially changed in 1805.
The George Washington Masonic National Memorial
Walking by City Hall on the 300 block of Cameron Street, one will observe a Freemason symbol on the keystone above the second story window. Perhaps this is one of the most secretive aspects of the Freemason Lodge in Alexandria. This is no accident. City Hall was rebuilt after a destructive fire in 1871. When the building was completed in 1874, the Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22 met in City Hall. They continued to meet in City Hall for many decades including into the 1900s.
Due to the fire in 1871 and a significant number of artifacts related to George Washington, Lodge No. 22 began to look for new and bigger real estate. It wasn’t until 1909 that Charles H. Callahan purchased the property where the Memorial currently stands. The property, which sits atop Shuter’s Hill, was already packed with history specifically during the American Civil War. Shuter’s Hill became the location of many Union Army camps including the 44th New York Regiment. On the backside of the hill was the construction of Fort Ellsworth, which was named in honor of Col. Elmer Ellsworth, the first Union officer killed in the Civil War. Col. Ellsworth was shot and killed in Alexandria on May 24, 1861.
Construction of the Memorial did not begin until 1922. The official groundbreaking ceremony was on June 5 of that year. The following year on November 1, 1923, the cornerstone was dedicated. The dedication was a significant event that included President Calvin Coolidge, former President and fellow Mason, Chief Justice William Howard Taft, and thousands of Freemasons that traveled from all over the country to Alexandria.
Ten years later, the Memorial’s exterior was completed. The year 1932 was important since it was the bicentennial of George Washington’s birthday. On May 12, 1932, another American President, Herbert Hoover, arrived in Alexandria to dedicate the Memorial and celebrate its construction.
Despite the Memorial’s exterior being finished, it took nearly four decades to complete the interior. In fact, the current Lodge room inside the Memorial was not opened until 1949. If the chronology of the building sounds lengthy, that is because of the project’s financing. There was no debt or borrowed funds to pay for it. The construction proceeded on a timeline that corresponded with available funds, which were raised through donations.
While the current Lodge Room inside the Memorial is used by Lodge No. 22, they do have a replica of the original room in City Hall. The replica of the City Hall room contains many historic artifacts associated both with Lodge No. 22 as well as George Washington.
Truman Dedicates the George Washington Statue
George Washington was not only America's first president but also the first of many presidents who were Freemasons. In fact, it has been 16 total presidents. The next Freemason president after George Washington was a fellow Virginian and America's fifth president, James Monroe. Other presidents included Andrew Jackson, James Polk, William McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt. Until January 19, 2025, the last American president that was a Freemason was Gerald Ford, who also lived for many years in Alexandria. However, in the course of writing this blog article, news broke that former President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. received membership in the Prince Hall Masons based in South Carolina. Thus, we can now add a sixteenth president to the list. [5] [6]
Out of the list of now 16 presidents, one of the most active Freemasons was President Harry S. Truman. In fact, he was Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Missouri from 1940-1941 while he was a U.S. Senator. At the same time, his support of Freemasonry extended beyond Missouri and included activities with other Lodges such as Lodge No. 22.
On February 22, 1950, President Truman was present at the dedication of the 17-foot-tall George Washington statue that is in the entrance hall to the Memorial. President Truman spoke at the dedication of the statue. On February 22, 2025, Lodge No. 22 plans to rededicate the statue in honor of its 75th anniversary. President Truman’s grandson, Brother Clifton Truman Daniel, is the planned speaker at a ceremony in the Memorial Hall. February 22 is always a significant day because it is the birthday of George Washington on the new style or Gregorian calendar.
Freemasonry's Rise and Decline
One of the biggest periods of growth for the Freemasons was the early 1900s when plans were made to build the Memorial. During the early 20th Century, Freemasonry grew in popularity. The number of Freemason lodges increased from 10,000 in 1900 to 15,000 by 1930. This saw a corresponding jump in total Freemasons from 1 million in 1900 to 3 million in 1930. [7]
In Alexandria the rise of civic organizations and social clubs led to several impressive architectural structures that still exist today. Another example is the former Elks Lodge on the 300 block of Prince Street, which was built in 1909.
Many of these clubs and organizations reached their apex in the mid-20th century. In 1959, there were 4 million American men that were Freemasons, which was about 4.5% of the adult male population. However, by 2020, the number of Freemasons in the United States has dipped below one million. The total worldwide numbers are around 6 million. [8]
As Freemason membership declined in the latter part of the 20th century, attempts have been made to revive its influence. In fact, one of the notable features of the Memorial is the prominent compass, square, and “G” that is right below the entrance. This Masonic emblem was added in 1999. The purpose behind the later addition of the emblem was to make clear that the Memorial is associated with Freemasons and that George Washington was a Freemason.
The meaning of that date was also important since it was the bicentennial of the death of George Washington. George Washington died on December 14, 1799. One notices a theme that dedications at the Memorial typically are done in conjunction with occasions that remember George Washington.
Freemasonry in the 21st century
While Freemason membership may have been a secret in George Washington’s life, Freemasons in the 21st century want to tell as many people as possible about the Masons and their famous Brother, George Washington.
While the digital age presents obstacles for fraternal organizations to recruit new members, the challenge is not insurmountable. In fact, important occasions like the 75th anniversary rededication of the George Washington statue offer an opportunity to educate and inform the public about the history of Freemasons. The most important part of Freemason history is the fact that Masons like George Washington and other presidents have been committed to ideals of public service, charity, and serving ones community and nation.
The Alexandria Washington Lodge No. 22 has played an important role not only in the history of Alexandria but also in the history of the United States. In fact, one of the most notable murals in the front hall is the dedication of the cornerstone of the U.S. Capitol on September 18, 1793. George Washington is painted in the mural along with many other Alexandria Masons from Lodge No. 22.
The George Washington Masonic National Memorial is meant to honor George Washington and his life as a Freemason. But, it does not memorialize Washington merely for his own sake. The ideals that George Washington embodied are the ideals of the American republic. The goal is to educate and inspire all Americans and all people from around the world to live a life of charity, service, and virtue.
Sources:
[2] Ibid.
[3] “To George Washington from Robert Adam, 26 December 1783,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/99-01-02-12232.
[4] “From George Washington to Robert Adam, 28 December 1783,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/99-01-02-12234.
[5] List of presidents of the United States who were Freemasons article.
[7] Information taken from exhibits at the GWMNM
[8] NPR article.
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