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Freemasons of Nodaway County

Nodaway County and Missouri have had a long history of Freemasons. With roughly fourteen lodges throughout several decades and a history of leaders within the state, there is a rich involvement  of Masons in state activities. 

The first Masonic lodge in what would become Missouri was Louisiana Lodge #109, which was chartered under the Grand Lodge of Tennessee. The Grand Lodge of Tennessee later issued a charter for the Grand Lodge of Missouri, granting it control and jurisdiction over its own lodges that began to spread across the state. Nodaway County’s first lodge was Maryville Lodge #165, chartered on May 30th, 1857. This lodge was active until it united with Nodaway Lodge #470 on December 10th, 1931. There were roughly fourteen Lodges active in Nodaway County at its height, but with the consolidation of Xenia Lodge #50 with Nodaway Lodge in the early 2020s, there is only one active lodge in the county.

Masonic Lodges in the state of Missouri sponsor a variety of programs including MOCHIP, a child identification program intended to aid in the search for missing children, as well as the Masonic Home of Missouri that provides housing and support for widows of Masons, elderly members, and children of the community. Within Nodaway County, lodges have contributed to these efforts as well as supporting their local communities with whatever was required of them.

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Missouri's Grand Lodge also has a grand history. Shortly before his term as president of the United States, Harry Truman served as the Grand Master for the Grand Lodge of Missouri from 1940-1941. Because of this, he is honored highly among Missouri Masons and his portrait in his regalia is often displayed in Lodges alongside photos of George Washington.

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