The Masons on the Mountain

Where Nevada Masonry Began

In 1864, as the Civil War raged and Nevada prepared for statehood, a group of Brethren in Virginia City received their charter from California. Just months later, Escurial joined seven other lodges to found the Grand Lodge of Nevada—making us one of the original pillars of Masonry in the Silver State.

In 1875, three devastating fires swept through Virginia City, destroying our lodge building and all our records. Undeterred, the Brothers gathered atop Mt. Davidson for the first "Masons on the Mountain" meeting—a tradition that gave us our enduring name.