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When traveling down Mission Boulevard shortly after turning right from Decoto Road, one sees a large red brick building upon the hill on the left hand side. The building stands there with honor and dignity looking down onto Union City and onto the bay of San Francisco. The building looks as if it has been there for many decades, so locals should know who the building belongs to, however many people don't know, except the building is called Masonic Home For Adults as read from the sign at the main entrance gate.

A long narrow driveway leads though the main entrance gate curving along the side of the hillside, winding all the way up to the top of the hill. Three quarters of the way up the hill, a large red brick building stands five stories high with diginity and pride. The building seems to be split into three rectangular portions. The center portion stands parellel with Mission Bouldvard with a small center piece on the roof. The other two portions of the building are slightly angled towards the center portion. This is the main and oldest building at Masonic Home. Many other building have been built behind the main brick building, but are hidden from view from Mission Boulevard.

Masonic Home for adults was built by the Masons 100 years ago. However, who are the Masons, what do they do and believe in? And how and why did they come to build Masonic Home?

The freemasons, or as they are often called masons, are members of what is thought to be the oldest secret fraternal society in the world. (Freemasons 351AA) The origins are thought to be from the 1100's AD, taking after the warrior monks, who protected innocent pilgrims as they traveled across the world to the Holy land. (What's a Mason? 2)

The modern Freemasonry society is thought to come from Great Britain during the early 1700's. The modern society came together when the stonemasons created a Grand lodge in London in 1717. The grand lodge is the main administrative body which governs all lower level lodges belonging to the Freemasons. (3)

Freemasonry fraternity, which is officially called Free and Accepted Masons or Ancient Free and Accepted Masons grew rapidly spreading across the world. By 1730, the first lodge was built in Philadelphia, and others were quickly built. Many of the masons were great leaders during the American revolution, such as, John Hancock and Paul Revenues who were members of the St Andrews lodge in Boston. Years later in 1752, George Washington became a member. Over time, the United States have had 13 presidents who have been members of the freemasons. (Freemasonry 13936)

A freemason is a member of the Freemasonry fraternity. They are a group of men who have the same interests and have joined together based upon them.

The Interests of a Freemason:

• There are things they want to do in the world
• There are things they want to do inside their own minds
• They enjoy being together with men they like and respect.

(What's a Mason? 2)


Basically the freemasonry fraternity is a group of men who want to help people in the world. Every mason has a responsibility to make things better. They understand that they can't find cures to deadly diseases or produce world peace, but they can help individuals. Everyday the freemasons in America spend $1.4 million US dollars to help people in need. The money is either donated to charities, or simply used to help the elderly pay utility bills. As well as helping people, masons also teach people about honesty, compassion, love, trust and how to be more knowledgeable. (5) When Mr. Virgil Land, a resident at Masonic Home was asked, "what does it means to be a mason?" he answers, "Masons takes good men, and teaches them how to be better men." (Michel, 21)

Becoming a mason is really easy it you meet three formal requirements.

• You must be a man (not forgetting this is a fraternity)
• You must have "sound in body and mind" (What's a Mason? 13)
• You believe in supreme being such as God.

The informal requirements needed to be a mason:

• Want to help others
• Believe there is more to life than just money and pleasures
• You want to grow and develop as a human being.
• This is a permanent life time commitment.

Once you have meet all the formal and informal requirements you must apply to be a mason. This is done by asking a mason for an application once it is filled out the masons returns to the lodge and the master of the lodge sends out a committee to interview the applicant's and family. The committee later reports back to the lodge and the application of acceptance is finalized. Once the applicant has been through the mason rituals he is now a full member of the ancient free and accepted masons. (13-14)