Freemasonry has been part of Northern Ontario’s story for well over a century. As towns and industries grew across Nipissing, Muskoka, and Parry Sound, the Craft provided a foundation of fellowship, moral teaching, and community leadership. The story of our District is closely tied to the history of the region itself.
The Birth of a District (1892)
On July 20, 1892, the Grand Lodge of Canada in the Province of Ontario separated the northern lodges from Georgian District No. 9 to create a new home for Masons north of Georgian Bay. This became Nipissing District No. 18, with R.W. Bro. Isaac Huber of Bracebridge as the first District Deputy Grand Master. In a landscape still shaped by logging camps, small railways, and steamships, Masonry provided stability and fellowship for settlers forging new communities.
Muskoka Steps Forward (1903)
By 1903, the communities of Muskoka had grown strong enough to stand on their own. On July 15th, Grand Lodge created Muskoka District No. 19, leaving Nipissing No. 18 to focus on the lodges further north. Masons of the time even joked that Nipissing had “stolen their name, their number, and their clothes,” a reminder of the good humour that has always accompanied our fraternity.
East and West (1934)
The continuing growth of Northern Ontario eventually made one Nipissing District too large to manage effectively. On July 1, 1934, it was divided into Nipissing East and Nipissing West, reflecting the spread of lodges across the region. In Sudbury, Dr. William Harvey Howey—known as the “Father of Nickel Lodge”—exemplified the leadership of that era, guiding Masonic life in a booming mining town.
Recognising Shared Identity (1959)
In 1959, Muskoka No. 19 officially adopted the name Muskoka–Parry Sound District. The change honoured the presence of thriving lodges in Parry Sound, and the shared geography and character that linked the two regions together.
A Modern Union (2014)
Most recently, on July 15, 2014, Grand Lodge brought together Nipissing East and Muskoka–Parry Sound to form the Nipissing Muskoka District we know today. This union reflects both history and practicality: our lodges are stronger when they work together, and our identity as brethren transcends old boundaries.
More Than Dates and Divisions
Behind these milestones are the lives of countless Masons—loggers and miners, teachers and doctors, farmers and entrepreneurs—who carried the light of Freemasonry into their communities. Railways and steamships brought settlers north, industry created new towns, and Masonry gave those towns a moral and fraternal compass.
Today, the Nipissing Muskoka District stands as a testament to their work. Our lodges remain places where men gather to improve themselves, support their neighbours, and continue the traditions first brought north more than a century ago.
A chronological history of Freemasonry north of the Severn River.
Foundations (1855–1892)
- 1855 – Grand Lodge of Canada established with 41 lodges from Ontario and Quebec.
- 1876 – Granite Lodge No. 352 formed (Toronto District).
- 1877 – Muskoka Lodge No. 360 formed (Toronto District).
- 1878 – Toronto District became Toronto District No. 8.
- 1879 – Unity Lodge No. 376 formed (Toronto District).
- 1879 – Georgian District No. 9 formed, including Granite, Muskoka, and Unity Lodges.
- 1885 – Mattawa Lodge No. 405 and Golden Rule Lodge No. 409 chartered.
- 1889 – Nipissing Lodge No. 420 and Strong Lodge No. 423 chartered.
- 1892 – Georgian District No. 9 became Nipissing District No. 18.
Growth in the North (1895–1933)
- 1895 – Algonquin Lodge No. 434 chartered.
- 1897 – Powassan Lodge No. 443 chartered.
- 1900 – Sturgeon Falls Lodge No. 447 chartered.
- 1902 – Corona Lodge No. 454 chartered.
- 1904 – Temiskaming Lodge No. 462 chartered.
- 1904 – Nipissing District No. 18 reorganised (Mattawa, Keystone, Nipissing, Nickel, Dyment, Sturgeon Falls, Doric, Temiskaming, Algoma).
- 1904 – Muskoka District No. 19 formed (Granite, Muskoka, Unity, Golden Rule, Strong, Algonquin, Powassan, Corona).
- 1908 – Silver Lodge No. 486 chartered.
- 1913 – Porcupine Lodge No. 506 and Elk Lake Lodge No. 507 chartered.
- 1915 – Nipissing District covered lodges from Mattawa through Cochrane (many new UD lodges listed).
- 1916–1918 – Golden Beaver No. 528, Cochrane No. 530, Englehart No. 534, and Abitibi No. 540 chartered.
- 1924 – North Bay Lodge No. 617 chartered.
- 1930 – Nipissing District No. 18 stretched from Mattawa to Sault Ste. Marie.
District Splits (1934–1979)
- 1934 – District divided: Nipissing East and Nipissing West.
- Nipissing East included Mattawa, Temiskaming, Haileybury, Elk Lake, North Bay.
- Nipissing West included Sudbury, Manitoulin, Sault Ste. Marie, and beyond.
- 1935 – Doric Lodge No. 623 (Kirkland Lake) and Spruce Falls No. 648 (Kapuskasing) chartered.
- 1960 – Muskoka District No. 19 renamed Muskoka–Parry Sound (no lodge changes).
- 1974–1977 – Reorganisation: Nipissing Centre became Sudbury–Manitoulin; Nipissing West continued.
- 1979 – Nipissing West renamed Algoma East District.
Modern Era (2014–Present)
- 2014 – Granite Lodge No. 352 returned to Georgian North.
- 2014 – Nipissing East and Muskoka–Parry Sound merged to form the Nipissing Muskoka District.
Notable Figures
R.W. Bro. Isaac Huber (1892–93)
The first District Deputy Grand Master of Nipissing No. 18, Huber guided the lodges of Muskoka through the early years of the new district. His leadership helped unify a region still defined by frontier industries.
Dr. William Harvey Howey (1897–98)
A respected physician in Sudbury and the first Worshipful Master of Nickel Lodge, Dr. Howey earned the title “Father of Nickel Lodge.” He became DDGM of Nipissing No. 18 in 1897, embodying both professional and Masonic service during Sudbury’s early mining boom.
R.W. Bro. W. E. Burgess (1893–94)
From North Bay’s Nipissing Lodge No. 420, Burgess succeeded Huber as DDGM. At a time when North Bay was just finding its footing as a railway hub, his leadership reinforced the role of Freemasonry in shaping civic life.