Choir performs in ornate hall with large pipe organ - masonic and fraternal halls

Self-guided · metro area, California

Masonic and Fraternal Halls in Merced, CA

Masonic temples, Odd Fellows halls and grange halls near you, the meeting places of the old fraternal orders.

The Merced, CA metro area has about 297,260 residents, ranking 174th in the country. Some of these sites are open to visitors, some are private, and some are ruins. All of them are on the record, and all of them can be seen from the public way.

Woman stands on piano addressing a large crowd - masonic and fraternal halls — Photo: Smithsonian on Unsplash

Red neon sign for masonic temple at dusk - masonic and fraternal halls — Photo: Matt Benson on Unsplash

A large stone building - masonic and fraternal halls — Photo: Abel Doñé on Unsplash

On the record near Merced, CA

The 12 nearest

18 listed sites on the record match masonic and fraternal halls within 120 miles of Merced, CA, out of 22 listed sites of every kind within 25 miles.

Hornitos Masonic Hall No. 9819 miles from the center of Merced · Building · Hornitos · listed 2005National Register of Historic Places
Old La Grange Schoolhouse25 miles from the center of Merced · Building · La Grange · listed 1979National Register of Historic Places
Odd Fellows Hall25 miles from the center of Merced · Building · La Grange · listed 1979National Register of Historic Places
Elks Building63 miles from the center of Merced · Building · Stockton · listed 1980National Register of Historic Places
IOOF Lodge #35570 miles from the center of Merced · Building · Clements · listed 2007National Register of Historic Places
Woodbridge Masonic Lodge No. 13174 miles from the center of Merced · Building · Woodbridge · listed 1989National Register of Historic Places
I.O.O.F. Hall74 miles from the center of Merced · Building · Woodbridge · listed 1982National Register of Historic Places
Gabilan Lodge No. 372--Independent Order of Odd Fellows76 miles from the center of Merced · Building · Gonzales · listed 1986National Register of Historic Places
Fraternal Hall Building93 miles from the center of Merced · Building · Palo Alto · listed 1990National Register of Historic Places
American River Grange Hall No. 172100 miles from the center of Merced · Building · Rancho Cordova · listed 1996National Register of Historic Places
Masonic Temple and Lodge102 miles from the center of Merced · Building · Alameda · listed 1982National Register of Historic Places
Sacramento Masonic Temple104 miles from the center of Merced · Building · Sacramento · listed 2001National Register of Historic Places

Distances are straight-line from the center of Merced, CA. Many sites are private property or working buildings - view them from the public way. See them on the map.

Fraternal Halls in Merced, step by step

1
See every listed site of this kind in the area
2
Sort by distance and pick the closest few
3
Read the record for the year, the builder and the use
4
View from the public way and note what has changed
5
Collect the set and move on to the next county

What people in Merced, CA ask first

How much does it cost to visit these sites in Merced, CA?

Most listed sites can be seen from a public road or sidewalk at no cost, and the app is free to use. Some sites are private homes, working churches or museums with their own hours and fees. The record for each one says what it is, so you know before you go.

Where does the information on these sites come from?

From published records: the National Register of Historic Places, the Recorded Texas Historic Landmark program, and the Georgia Historical Society and Georgia Department of Natural Resources marker program. Every site on the page names its source.

Are these buildings open to the public?

Some are, many are not. Churches, courthouses and libraries usually keep regular hours. Houses, barns and mills are often private and best seen from the road. The record for each site tells you which kind it is.

What does it mean when a site is on the National Register?

It means the property was documented and accepted as historically significant. Listing honors the site, it does not open it to visitors or stop an owner from using it.

How a visit works in Merced

Step 1
Find the place
Every stop starts as a pin with real coordinates. In Merced, CA the map shows what is listed around you and how far each one is, so the first decision is where to go, and it takes a few seconds.
Step 2
Read the story
The record behind each marker is kept whole: what happened there, when, who was involved, and why it was worth a sign. You read it standing where it happened, which is the part a textbook cannot give you.
Step 3
Get there under your own power
Walk it, run it, hike it, ride it or drive it. Stops in Merced, CA are chained into routes that fit the way you move, so a lunch break, a long run or a Saturday drive can all pass through history.
Step 4
Collect it and come back
Each stop you reach counts toward a badge, and a photo or a correction you send makes the record better for the next person. The map remembers where you have been, so the next trip starts where the last one ended.