The Astoria Community blood drives are a recurring community service effort in Astoria, presented in partnership between New York Blood Center and Queens Masonic Association and hosted at Advance Masonic Temple. Learn how to donate locally or at any NYBC location using Sponsor Code 10691.

The Hiram Abiff stained-glass window at the Advance Masonic Temple is framed like a recessed lantern in brick—at night it becomes a local beacon of wisdom, radiance, and thresholded meaning

High above the columns of the Advance Masonic Temple in Astoria, Queens, a carved limestone egg-and-dart relief preserves one of classical architecture’s most enduring motifs. More than ornament, it expresses rhythm, order, and the symbolic seriousness of the building itself.

Four carved limestone lions crown the columns outside the Advance Masonic Temple in Astoria, Queens. Their presence draws on a long architectural history of guardianship, courage, authority, and ceremonial protection.

The entrance of Astoria’s Advance Masonic Temple is composed like a ceremonial threshold. Limestone columns and arched masonry create structure; carved stone details transform the façade into a language of strength, order, and consecration—setting up a series on the lions, the egg-and-dart, and the bucranium.

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.

At Advance Temple, our commitment to charity and relief is more than just words—it’s action. One of the most direct ways we serve our community is by hosting regular blood drives. Blood is a vital, irreplaceable resource that hospitals rely on every day, and by opening our doors, we help ensure that patients in need have access to this lifesaving gift.