Arthur E. Wenige and the Room That Became Three
Arthur E. Wenige was more than a Queens Mason. Raised in Advance Lodge in 1903, he helped shape the lodge-room design that appears to have carried from Astoria to Hillside and Bayside, leaving a shared Masonic interior across three lodges
Brother John Anderson Leach of Advance Lodge No. 635
Brother John Anderson Leach of Advance Lodge No. 635 rose from Astoria lawyer to magistrate, civic leader, and senior police official, building a life defined by service, leadership, and Masonic distinction.
Charles Wesley Hallett, Sr.
Discover the life of Charles Wesley Hallett, Sr.—Civil War veteran, Advance Lodge No. 635 Mason, banker, and civic leader whose story reflects the transformation of Hallett’s Cove into modern Astoria.
Brother Frederick T. Hallett: The Measure of an Astorian
Frederick T. Hallett was a businessman, Mason, church trustee, and civic leader whose life traced Astoria’s transformation from an old Long Island village into modern Queens.
Advance Lodge No.635
Advance Lodge No. 635 was founded in post-Civil War Astoria and took its name from a famous Arctic exploration vessel. Its history joins civic leadership, charitable work, ritual instruction, wartime service, and the creation of a lasting Masonic temple on 30th Avenue.