History

In the early 1840's, The Grand Lodge of Ohio discussed plans to establish a Home for the Aged to care for elderly Masons, especially those who had little or no assets. Two early attempts to establish The Home failed. However, in 1888, the Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons (one of a number of appendant organizations connected to Freemasonry), William B. Hillman, led a successful effort to establish The Ohio Masonic Home for the benefit of worthy, distressed Ohio Master Masons, their wives, widows and orphans.

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The cornerstone of The Home's first building, Bushnell, was laid in 1892 and the first resident was admitted in 1895. Besides services for the elderly, from the late 1890s to 1956, the Springfield campus also served as a Masonic Children's Home. During that period, more than 750 children were reared at The Home. That experience had such an impact on them that they formed an Alumni Association, which meets every two years at Springfield during the July 4 weekend. Since 1895 more than 10,000 elderly Masons, their wives and widows have been served by The Home.


The Ohio Masonic Home's First Building

 

The Masonic fraternity is built upon the principles of brotherly love, relief and truth.

Thus, it is with pride in our fraternity and its heritage of brotherly love, relief and truth, that we carry out our work every day to provide our residents quality care with concern and compassion.

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