Guthrie Scottish Rite
Links to Guthrie, Oklahoma; Miami, Florida; and Lake Worth, Florida Valleys of the Scottish Rite.
1] Guthrie Scottish Rite Website. Click here for Guthrie.
2] Miami, Florida Scottish Rite. They are also a very friendly group. I visited them many times and plan on returning MANY more times.
3] Lake Worth, Florida Scottish Rite. Their hospitality is also outstanding and I am pleased to be assisting them in their progress.
The Masonic Center is located at 898 E. Oklahoma Ave. in Guthrie. Their phone number is (405) 282-1281. Go to their home page, which I have provided a link for above, to get more details. They also have more pictures on their site. Do explore their website as it contains a wealth of information. If you ever get to Guthrie, you simply MUST visit their Masonic Center. It is a very amazing place and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. If you are a member of the Scottish Rite, you absolutely MUST attend a reunion there. They are the "Platinum Standard" in Scottish Rite Valleys in the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States. You have NOT seen Scottish Rite until you have seen Guthrie!
- James W. Hogg, Plural Perpetual Member of the Valley of Guthrie
What follows is the PHOTO GALLERY
(Note: Unfortunately, my pictures of the magnificent auditorium were too dark. Everything else seemed to come out fine. So, the photos of the Auditorium and the Italian Lounge are from Guthrie Scottish Rite's Photo Collection)
This is the front of the Guthrie Scottish Rite Masonic Center from Capitol St.
This is the grand entrance foyer.
Photo of main entrance to the auditorium.
This is the main auditorium.
This is the Italian Lounge.
Three Stained glass window pictures in the Blue Room. There are a very large number of stained glass windows throughout this amazing building. They have all mostly been donated by various Scottish Rite Reunion classes over the years.
Photo of the Blue Room.
Photo of Rose Room
Pompeiian Room
Stained Glass window in Pompeiian Room
Assyrian Room
Crystal Room
The Stage in the Egyptian Room taken from the balcony
Egyptian Room Ceiling
Guthrie Scottish Rite Banner
View of Egyptian Room from center stage
The entrance hallway foyer to the offices
Grandfather moon phase clock in office hallway
Library
The Writing Room
Another main entrance foyer picture
The Guthrie Consistory Banner
This is the main chamber of the former State House when Guthrie was the Capitol of Oklahoma
Both of these photos are of the rather nicely done Masonic museum in the building
Photo of Robert Davis with Jim Hogg, taken at the fall 2007 reunion
Picture of stage in main auditorium
The game room with pool tables in the basement
The Snack bar. (The Brothers in the striped shirts are the "Chain Gang" group that runs the snack bar
The snack bar
The Oklahoma York Rite's display table in the main atrium of the building
The Guthrie Scottish Rite is an interesting place to visit. They do reunions twice a year, as do most other valleys. Guthrie, however, exemplifies all the degrees from 4 through 32 in a three day weekend every Spring, while doing a more philosophical two day reunion in the Fall. When they do the Fall reunion (so far, the only one I have seen), they have a Q & A session three times during the two day session. Here, one gets to ask anything and it is a very congenial and informal gathering that is open to both the candidates and current members. Jim Tresner does a fine job of handling these little gatherings. Before each degree conferral, there is a brief prologue projected on a drop down movie screen prior to the degree. This is most helpful in identifying the salient points that are to be taught in the degree.
One thing that becomes apparent very quickly is that the Brothers in Guthrie are pleased to have visitors and go out of their way to make one feel at home. I was treated in a congenial and hospitable manner throughout my stay. I discovered that there are many who travel long distances to visit Guthrie. At this reunion, there was a large delegation of Brothers visiting from the Valley of Omaha, Nebraska. I had some very interesting conversations with some of these Brothers and made a few new friends while there. The whole affair was very thoughtfully put together and it was an effort of very many members of that valley. A tremendous amount of planning and execution was very evident. There was even professional entertainment provided in the auditorium after the delicious barbecue dinner that was served in the former legislative chamber of the old state house that now belongs to the Guthrie Bodies.
The program that they hand out is the same for the spring and fall reunions. What makes it unusual is the depth and breadth of information it contains about Scottish Rite in general and Guthrie in particular. It is a 120 page booklet and is a “keeper” for one’s Masonic library.
There is no question that I will be returning to Guthrie soon. I am hoping that there will be ways for me to be of assistance to them even though I am in Florida, which is a fair distance from Oklahoma. Joe Manning, Bob Davis, Jim Tresner, and the rest of their group should be commended for this tremendous service they are doing for the Fraternity. I have seen excellent examples of leadership and charisma in Guthrie.
Click Here to return to Jim Hogg's Freemasonry and Law Home Page.
