Our records show that the name of our Lodge is derived from the star “Hesperius”. In Greek mythology, this is the Evening Star or the Western Star, known today as the Planet Venus. It is the brightest object in the sky after the Sun and the Moon. As bright and as brilliant as it is, the ancients did not understand why they could not see it at midnight like the outer Planets, or during midday, like the Sun and Moon. It outshines the planets Saturn and Jupiter, which can be seen all night, but it soon disappears. It can be seen in the western evening sky for about 1 hour or so after Sunset, but never during the darker hours of the night.

Hesperia Lodge No. 411, Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, received its Charter from the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Illinois in 1864. The current MW Grand Lodge of the State of Illinois was formed on January 20, 1840 at a meeting of several lodges from Illinois. It is through these lodges, which received dispensation from the Grand Lodges A.F. & A.M. of several adjacent states as well as Pennsylvania, and they in turn, ultimately, from the United Grand Lodge of England, that we may trace our roots.

Freemasonry is an international fraternity of good men striving to become better men, men of character from every walk of life, all working together to build a better world. Hesperia continues to accept petitions from good men who wish to become better men and help make the world a better place through the centuries old wisdom and tradition of Freemasonry.

For more information, see our Lodge History

You may also be interested in the history of the Jefferson Masonic Temple