Volcano Lodge - 2007

Worshipful Ron Green, PM lead a group of masons to visit Volcano Lodge in Volcano, CA.

The apron was returned to Volcano at its annual picnic held at the Volcano Masonic Caves Site by a small group of Masons from Suisun Lodge.

(Note: The photo is not very good as it presents a pinkish color. Actually it's more of a brown eggshell color.)

This apron was recovered from the 1855 fire which burned the first Lodge building that had been erected on the rocky knoll summit directly above the caves.

We are told that a Brother of the Volcano Lodge at that time found the apron in the debris and kept it as a relic of the fire. It was passed down through his estate and a survivor, living in the area of Suisun, contacted the Suisun Lodge who accepted the responsibility to return it to our Volcano Lodge.We hope to frame it and hang it in the Lodge or, since the relic is so fragile (being 150 years old) we could take a good photograph and present the framed photo.

In any event we are very much indebted to this survivor (and to Suisun Lodge) and would like to do a profile on the ancestry of the member for presentation with the apron. At the time of this posting we haven't yet researched this Mason who in all probability was one of the Charter members, and hopefully an officer. The apron doesn't give any symbol by which it can be determined which office it represented. Of particular interest to this writer who has been a member 53 years as of now was the custom of Volcano not wearing officers' aprons. When I joined I was told that Volcano observed the tradition that the officers would not distinguish themselves by any aprons other than what any member might wear. This principal was certainly not that of the original Lodge founding. I suspect that after the fire and purchasing the present building the Lodge was hard pressed for funds. They probably put off buying any Officers' aprons until the Lodge presented the explanation that the reason for lack of officers' aprons was because the Lodge was observing a democratic principal that the officers would not exalt themselves by manner of dress over that of any non-officer member.

 
Bro Floyd Hooper ("Doc") presented, as a gift, the set of aprons we now wear after completing his term as Master in 1960, some 44 years ago.

There will be more on this later as information develops.