History of
Aurora Lodge

Aurora Lodge Is Born

On June 8, 1801, Most Worshipful Samuel Dunn, Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts, granted a charter to Aurora Lodge — the 56th lodge chartered in the Commonwealth. The lodge held its first formal meeting on July 9, 1801, at Kendall’s Tavern on West Street in Leominster, a busy stage coach stop on the Fifth Massachusetts Turnpike.

Captain Michael Newhall, a former sea captain and gentleman farmer, became the first Worshipful Master. He personally advanced the $20 needed to secure the lodge’s charter. Nineteen men were present at that first meeting, several of them veterans of the American Revolution.

Weathering the Storm

In 1827, a fierce anti-Masonic movement swept across the nation, causing intense public hostility toward Freemasonry. Of the 101 lodges active in Massachusetts at the start of the period, only 35 survived — and Aurora Lodge was one of them. Every other lodge in the surrounding region surrendered its charter.

For nearly fifteen years — from June 1831 to January 1846 — not a single degree was conferred. Yet the brethren continued to meet quietly, kept their records intact, and never surrendered their charter. Their steadfastness preserved Masonry in Leominster through one of its darkest chapters.

The Move to Fitchburg

With the anti-Masonic era fading, Aurora Lodge voted nearly unanimously to relocate to the growing city of Fitchburg. The final meeting in Leominster was held December 23, 1844. On March 17, 1845, the lodge convened for the first time in Fitchburg at Moulton’s Hall, with twenty-one members present.

The move signaled a rebirth. Eleven new candidates were accepted in 1846 alone, and the lodge entered a sustained period of growth and community engagement.

The Fitchburg Savings Bank Building

In November 1871, Aurora Lodge moved into newly constructed apartments in the Fitchburg Savings Bank building — quarters it would call home for over ninety years. The dedication concert drew more than five hundred guests. The lodge’s new regalia, ordered that same year at a cost of $375, included collars and truncheons still in use today.

One Hundred Years of Brotherhood

Aurora Lodge celebrated its centennial on June 9 and 10, 1901, with a grand gathering presided over by Most Worshipful Charles T. Gallagher, Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts. The celebration featured an extraordinary detail — an urn containing a lock of George Washington’s hair, presented to the Grand Lodge by Martha Washington in 1801, the very year Aurora Lodge was chartered.

In its first century, Aurora Lodge had admitted 704 candidates and grown to 222 members.

16 Thorndike Street

After years of planning and fundraising, the Fitchburg Masonic bodies completed their own temple at 16 Thorndike Street. The cornerstone was laid September 12, 1964, by Grand Master A. Neill Osgood. The building was dedicated December 16, 1964 — a milestone moment for Aurora Lodge and its sister bodies. The cost of the project totaled $284,000, with $172,000 raised through member pledges.

Aurora Lodge continues to meet at 16 Thorndike Street to this day.

225 Years of Brotherhood

In 2026, Aurora Lodge A.F. & A.M. proudly marks 225 years of continuous service, fellowship, and brotherhood in North Central Massachusetts. Through wars, economic hardships, anti-Masonic persecution, and the passage of time, Aurora Lodge has endured — guided always by the principles of brotherly love, relief, and truth.

The lodge continues to meet on the first Monday of each month, with Social Night every Monday evening at 16 Thorndike Street in Fitchburg. Men of good character and faith are always welcome. Contact Aurora Lodge to learn more or to begin your Masonic journey.