Our History

Western Star Lodge originated during the years just prior to the Territory of California becoming a State. This was accomplished primarily through the efforts of two men, Peter Lassen and Saschel Woods.

In 1840, Peter Lassen came to California from Missouri. He lived here for the next seven years and during this time formulated plans for a new town, near present day Vina in what is now Tehama County, on his Mexican land grant, the Rancho Bosquejo. In 1847, Lassen returned to Missouri to gather people to help build and reside in the town. He was then a member of Warren Lodge No. 74 of Missouri, and well aware of the desirability of having a Masonic Lodge in his proposed new community; but as he was neither Master nor Past Master of any lodge, he could not hope to obtain a Charter.

While forming his wagon train he met Saschel Woods, a Presbyterian Minister and a Past Master of Wakanda Lodge No. 52 of Carrolltown, Missouri. Application was made to Joseph Foster, Grand Master of Missouri, and a Charter was granted on May 10, 1848, designating Saschel Woods as Master, Lucien E. Stewart as Senior Warden, and Peter Lassen as Junior Warden of Western Star Lodge No. 98, to be held at a convenient place in California under the Jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Missouri.

Woods took custody of the Charter and brought it to California on Lassen’s wagon train. He formed Western Star Lodge No. 98 and held its first meeting on October 30, 1849, at Benton City — before the forming of any other Lodge in this State.

On April 17, 1850, Master Masons from Western Star Lodge No. 98, Connecticut Lodge No. 75, California Lodge No. 13, New Jersey Lodge U.D. and Pacific Lodge U.D. met in Sacramento at the call of Saschel Woods, then Master of Western Star, and the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of California was formed. Upon assignment of numbers, California Lodge No. 13 was erroneously given the number one; and so Western Star Lodge No. 98, the oldest Chartered Lodge in the State of California and the first to meet and organize, became Western Star Lodge No. 2.

On May 9, 1851, the Lodge sought and received permission from the Grand Lodge of California to move from Benton City to Shasta City, then the County Seat of the newly formed Shasta County. On June 14, 1853, fire destroyed the business district of Shasta City, including the building in which the Lodge was meeting; from June 1853 until December 1854 the Lodge met in the second story of Benjamin Shurtleff’s home, on a hill overlooking the town.

On December 27, 1854 — Saint John’s Day — the Lodge was opened for the last time at that location and moved in Grand Procession to its new meeting place, a new brick building on Main Street, referred to in 1854 as “Norton & Tucker’s fireproof brick building”. The second floor was purchased by the Lodge as its meeting place, and from Saint John’s Day of 1854 to the present it has served as Western Star’s Lodge room. In the late 1850s the Lodge purchased the remainder of the building; the first floor became the banquet hall.

On September 15, 1928, Grand Master Will H. Fischer officiated at the dedication of a vault in the front entrance foyer, built by a grant from the Grand Lodge to preserve the relics, documents and antiques in the Lodge’s possession — not the least of which is the first Masonic Charter of a Lodge in California. On May 21, 1991, Grand Master Ronald A. Sherod dedicated a second vault, the Lodge Archives, in memory of Raymond A. Jackson, the Lodge’s Historian of over thirty years; and the meeting room and lounge in memory of Mrs. Mae Helene Bacon Boggs, the Lodge’s greatest Benefactress.

From its beginning to the present, Western Star Lodge No. 2 continues proudly to meet in the manner and character of Masons, to Initiate, Pass and Raise all good men and true who may apply for the purpose and whom they may find worthy.

This history was prepared by Worshipful Harold O. McDaniel, Jr., P.M., for the lodge’s sesquicentennial anniversary in 1998.