The Founding
Palestine Lodge No. 357 was chartered by the Grand Lodge of the State of Michigan, Free & Accepted Masons, on February 8, 1881. From its earliest days, the lodge attracted Detroit’s builders, entrepreneurs, and civic leaders — men who were shaping a city on the rise.
Famous Palestiners
Henry Ford
The founder of Ford Motor Company and the man who put the world on wheels was a member of Palestine Lodge No. 357. Ford’s revolutionary assembly line transformed not just Detroit but the entire modern world. He was raised a Master Mason in Palestine Lodge.
James Vernor
The inventor of Vernors ginger ale, America’s oldest surviving soft drink brand, was a proud Palestiner. Vernor’s connection to the lodge reflects the entrepreneurial spirit that defined Detroit in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
S.S. Kresge
Sebastian Spering Kresge, founder of the S.S. Kresge Company (which became Kmart), was a member of Palestine Lodge. Kresge revolutionized American retail with his five-and-dime stores and became one of the nation’s great philanthropists.
The Alger Mansion Years (1913–1935)
In 1913, Palestine Lodge — then the largest Masonic lodge in America with over 2,000 members — purchased the grand W. Fort Street mansion of General Russell A. Alger for $180,000. The four-story Queen Anne residence, built in 1885, had hosted U.S. presidents and titans of industry.
The lodge converted the mansion into an extraordinary clubhouse: reception rooms, a billiard room, library, dining rooms, a bowling alley, and a massive 22-foot-tall Lodge Room created by removing the third floor ceiling entirely. A pipe organ was installed in the ceremonial space.
By the 1920s, membership had swelled beyond 5,000. After an expansion, the lodge continued to thrive at the Fort Street location until January 24, 1935, when the final meeting was held there before relocating to the newly dedicated Detroit Masonic Temple — where we remain today.
The Detroit Masonic Temple
The Detroit Masonic Temple, dedicated in 1926, is the largest Masonic temple in the world. This Gothic Revival masterpiece at 500 Temple Street contains over 1,000 rooms, including theaters, ballrooms, and lodge rooms. Palestine Lodge No. 357 has met here since 1935 and continues to hold its stated meetings in one of the building’s distinguished lodge rooms.
Continuing the Tradition
Today, Palestine Lodge carries forward the values and fellowship that have defined it since 1881. While our membership numbers have changed with the times, our commitment to brotherhood, self-improvement, and service to the Detroit community remains as strong as it was when our charter was first granted nearly a century and a half ago.