FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: John McDonagh, Executive Director 508-487-1310 [email protected]

PILGRIM MONUMENT CELEBRATES PROVINCETOWN’S MASONIC HERITAGE AT THE ANNUAL LIGHTING EVENT

October 18, 2014 (Provincetown, Mass.) –The Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum (PMPM) announced today that the Annual Lighting of the Pilgrim Monument to be held on Thanksgiving Evening, November 26, 2014 beginning at 5:00 PM will salute King Hiram’s Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Provincetown.

King Hiram’s Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, was chartered 12 December 1795 by Paul Revere, Grand Master of Masons in . It is the oldest continuous Masonic Lodge on . The name of Provincetown’s lodge honors the King of Tyre who helped Solomon construct the First Temple. In its 219 years the members of King Hiram’s have been leaders in all branches of Provincetown civic life.

King Hiram’s Lodge was intimately involved with the construction of the Pilgrim Monument and its dedication. Fittingly, Masons furnished the trowel used by President Theodore Roosevelt, himself a Mason, in the cornerstone laying. Masons occupied a place of honor both then and in the summers of 2007 and 2010 when the centenaries were celebrated of the commencement and of the dedication of the monument with complements of mason brothers present in their unmistakable aprons, purple ties and top hats.

Monument Executive Director John McDonagh said, “The Masons have participated in virtually every seminal event that has taken place in America’s civic heritage. They continue as a fellowship today committed and ready to serve the community, and King Hiram’s Lodge here in Provincetown is one of the Nation’s best examples. The Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum is proud to honor their history of this commitment.”

The Lodge itself has been a center of social activity. According to lodge historian Ralph E. Desmond, “Currently, the lodge sponsors an Angels in the Sunset cruise to fund its charities to benefit Provincetown and Truro. The current Lodge building (c.1869) at 2 Masonic Place is a repository of many significant historical articles: the original Revere Charter, an extremely rare set of Revere Masonic Officer’s Jewels, a

gavel made from the beams of the HMS Somerset, and the trowel used by Brother President Teddy Roosevelt to lay the cornerstone of the Pilgrim Monument in 1907.” Hundreds of people come to this iconic event each year to witness the Monument festooned with more than 3,100 “landing lights” which shine nightly till January 6th. Admission is free, refreshments will be provided by the Provincetown Business Guild, and entertainment by John Thomas will be offered.

For more information, visit www.pilgrim-monument.org or call 508-487-1310

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About Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum: Commemorating Pilgrims, Celebrating Provincetown

Dedicated in 1910, the Monument commemorates the first landing of the Pilgrims in the ‘new world’ -- in Provincetown in 1620. Here they signed the historic , the first agreement to establish a government by the people, the cornerstone of American democracy. They explored the Cape for five weeks before sailing on to Plymouth. At 252 feet, the Monument is an engineering marvel and the tallest granite tower in the . Visitors can climb the Monument’s 116 steps and 60 ramps at a leisurely pace and enjoy a breathtaking view of the entire Cape. The Provincetown Museum at the base of the Monument presents engaging exhibitions of important chapters in our national heritage and the Town’s history. Open daily 9:00 AM– 5:00 PM through November. Admission is $12 adults, $10 seniors, $4 children; children under 4 are free.

Pilgrim Monument and Provincetown Museum is a non-profit educational, tax-exempt 501(3)(c) organization. For more information please visit pilgrim-monument.org.

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