In November 1915, hundreds of Freemasons marched through Astoria to lay the cornerstone of Advance Lodge’s new temple, marking a major moment in local history.

From the ferry-house at Hunters Point to the great temples of Elmhurst and Astoria, this article traces the story of three historic Queens Masonic lodges whose legacy now lives on in Advance Service Mizpah Lodge No. 586. It is a story of builders, brotherhood, and an unbroken chain stretching across more than 150 years of New York history.