Hoyt for the Holidays

Mystery and Benevolence: Masonic and Odd Fellows Folk Art

Mystical, evocative, and sometimes simply strange, the art of  fraternal practice is rich in symbols that are oddly familiar yet strikingly uncommon. Through arcane and alluring artifacts, Mystery  and Benevolence brings to light the histories of the Freemasons and the  Independent Order of the Odd Fellows, two fraternal secret societies  with deep roots in American history. The over eighty carvings, textiles,  sculptures, and adornments that constitute this exhibition were used  from the late eighteenth through mid-twentieth centuries, and retain  their clandestine allure to this day.

Mystery & Benevolence: Masonic and Odd Fellows Folk Art was organized by the American Folk Art Museum, New York from the Kendra and Allan Daniel Collection and is toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC.

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“Fraternity of Brothers: Freemasonry in the Valley of New Castle”.

Shortly after the end of World War I, Freemasonry numbered nearly 6000 men in the Valley of New Castle, prompting the first Commander in Chief, Brother John S. Wallace,  to conceive a Masonic Temple large enough to house the growing numbers.  The Milwaukee firms of Mr. R.G. Schmidt and S.M. Seisel, architect and contractor, were hired and construction began in 1924.  When the cornerstone was laid on June 10,1925, thousands of spectators joined the celebration of what was then the largest facility between New York and Chicago.  Interior work continued for another year, and the Scottish Rite Cathedral opened for official use on November 8, 1926.  This exhibition of art and artifacts from the Scottish Rite Cathedral’s private collection pays tribute to the building’s construction and the history of the more than two dozen Masonic groups that continue to meet there today.

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