Freemasonry was established in Connecticut in 1750. David Wooster was the charter Master of "The Lodge at New Haven", which later became Hiram Lodge No. 1. This lodge was formed under warrant from St. John's Provincial Grand Lodge at Boston. The Grand Lodge of Connecticut was founded on July 8, 1789 with Pierpont Edwards as its first Grand Master. At the founding of the Grand Lodge of Connecticut, it had 14 lodges with five more being chartered in the following two years. The first lodge chartered by the Grand Lodge of Connecticut was Moriah Lodge No. 15 in Brooklyn Connecticut constituted on October 15, 1790. In 1887, Hiram Lodge challenged the authority of the Grand Lodge of Connecticut to dictate the style of ritual it would use.
Membership
As in most Masonic jurisdictions, membership in a Masonic Lodge under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Connecticut is open to any male over 18 years of age who believes in a Supreme Being and is of sound moral character. One member of a Local Lodge being petitioned must be willing to sign his petition as Recommender, and any other Master Mason must sign as Avoucher. His election is by unanimous consent. In addition, Connecticut Lodges require a candidate to be a Connecticut resident for at least one year.
On October 14, 1989, the Grand Lodge of Connecticut became the first Mainstream Grand Lodge in the United States to formally recognize and maintain the recognition of Prince Hall Freemasonry. Both Grand Lodges allow dual-membership rights for its members.
Notable Connecticut Freemasons
Benedict Arnold - American Revolutionary War General and Notable Defector - Hiram Lodge No. 1, New Haven
Samuel Colt - American inventor and industrialist - St. John's Lodge No. 4, Hartford
Pierpont Edwards - Delegate to the American Continental Congress and United States Federal judge - Hiram Lodge No. 1, New Haven
Rob Simmons - Retired U.S. Army Colonel and former U.S. Congressman from Connecticut - Coastal Lodge No. 57, Stonington
David Wooster - American Revolutionary War general - Hiram Lodge No. 1, New Haven
Lyman Law - Member of the U.S. House of Representatives and Sixth Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Connecticut - Wooster Lodge No. 10, Colchester
Hiram Bingham III - American academic, explorer and politician. He made public the existence of the Inca citadel of Machu Picchu. Later, Bingham served as a member of the United States Senate for the state of Connecticut - Hiram Lodge No. 1, New Haven
