Garret J. Garretson: First Master of Mizpah Lodge No. 738 and the Judge Queens Would Not Let Go
In 1873, Garret J. Garretson opened his Newtown law office to eight fellow Masons and became Mizpah Lodge No. 738’s first Master. His story follows a village lawyer into education, the Greater New York Charter Commission and a judicial career that earned the lasting confidence of Queens voters.
Timeline of the Lodges That Formed Advance Service Mizpah Lodge No. 586
Follow the six lodges that formed Advance Service Mizpah Lodge No. 586, from City Lodge’s 1856 charter in Manhattan to the final consolidation in Astoria in 2018. This timeline traces their charters, temples, moves, and five consolidations.
A Map of the Lodges, Temples, and Meeting Places in the Advance Service Mizpah Lineage
Explore five selected meeting places in the lineage of Advance Service Mizpah Lodge No. 586, from Grand Street in Manhattan to the Advance temple in Astoria. This map guide follows the lodges through Long Island City, Elmhurst, and Flushing, showing how shared buildings brought separate branches together.
Mizpah Lodge No. 738 Members Directory: Charter Members and Past Members
Browse founding petitioners and past members of Mizpah Lodge No. 738, chartered in Newtown in 1873. This growing directory identifies early officers, later Masters, and the architect of its Elmhurst temple, connecting their history to Advance Service Mizpah Lodge No. 586.
Advance Service Mizpah Lodge No. 586 Members Directory: Past Members of Six Lodges
Browse past members of Advance Service Mizpah Lodge No. 586 and the six lodges in its lineage. Organized by lodge, this growing directory connects names, offices, and membership dates with individual lodge directories and historical profiles as they are published.
Mizpah Lodge No. 738 and the Laying of the Elmhurst Cornerstone
On January 1, 1920, Mizpah Lodge No. 738 laid the cornerstone of its Elmhurst temple, with Robert H. Robinson presiding. Explore the planned building, the Queens lodges invited to attend, and the surviving commemorative trowel.
Mizpah Masonic Temple: The Watchtower at the Center of Queens
Opened in 1921, Mizpah Masonic Temple at 87-11 Whitney Avenue in Elmhurst became a shared home for several Queens lodges and a district school of instruction. Explore its design, fundraising bazaar, dedication, and later use by a church beneath the surviving MIZPAH inscription.
One Lodge, Six Charters: Start Here with Advance Service Mizpah No. 586
Start exploring One Lodge, Six Charters, a series tracing Advance Service Mizpah Lodge No. 586 through its six predecessor lodges. Find your way into the lodge histories, temples, member profiles, and five consolidations that connect Manhattan, Astoria, Long Island City, Elmhurst, Jackson Heights, and Flushing.
Mizpah’s Watchtower in Old Newtown: The Story of Mizpah Lodge No. 738
Mizpah Lodge No. 738 began in a Newtown lawyer’s office in 1873 and grew into a gathering place for Masons across Queens. Explore its founding, its Elmhurst temple, its ties to Island City and Geba, and the consolidations that carried its name into Advance Service Mizpah Lodge No. 586.
Island City Lodge No. 586 and the Temple That Served the City
Chartered in 1866, Island City Lodge No. 586 built a Jackson Avenue temple that the federal court eventually took over. Follow the lodge from Long Island City to Elmhurst and Astoria, where its number survives in Advance Service Mizpah Lodge No. 586.
Advance Service Mizpah Lodge No. 586: A Living Inheritance of Six New York Lodges
Advance Service Mizpah Lodge No. 586 carries the history of six New York lodges chartered between 1856 and 1923. Explore the One Lodge, Six Charters series through five consolidations, meeting places from Manhattan to Queens, and the people behind the lodge that meets in Astoria today.