Freemasonry is the largest and oldest fraternity in the world. No one knows just how old it is because the actual origins have been lost in time. Probably, it arose from the guilds of stonemasons who built the castles and cathedrals of the Middle Ages. Possibly, they were influenced by the Knights Templar, a group of Christian warrior monks formed in 1118 to help protect pilgrims making trips to the Holy Land.
In 1717, Masonry created a formal organization in England when the first Grand Lodge was formed. A Grand Lodge is the administrative body in charge of Masonry in some geographical area. In the United States, there is a Grand Lodge in each state. In Canada, there is a Grand Lodge in each province. Local organizations of Masons are called lodges. There are lodges in most towns, and large cities usually have several. There are about 13,200 lodges in the United States.
Excelsior Masonic Lodge No. 113 is the local lodge supporting the South Lake Minnetonka area. We were founded by a charter from the Grand Lodge of Minnesota in 1875 and have been continuously operating since that time. Be sure to like our Facebook page for more frequent updates of the Lodge.
The Grand Lodge of Minnesota has excellent information about what Freemasonry is and what it isn't at the link below.