**Scavenger Hunt extended to Sunday, August 28th**
Cornerstone: Freemasonry, Texas, and the Neill-Cochran House Museum is on display now at the Neill-Cochran House Museum. In honor of this exhibit, we invite you to join us on a tour of Austin sites connected to freemasonry. When you visit a site, tag us to let you know you were there!
Social Media Tags
Facebook: @nchmuseum | Instagram: @neillcochran | Event Tag: #ATXcornerstone
From August 12th-28th - every time you tag us, we’ll enter you in a drawing for a NCHM t-shirt! So head out to explore a bit of Austin and learn about the impact Freemasons have had on our built environment!
For reference, you’ll see the Neill-Cochran House Museum (2310 San Gabriel St.) on the top left of the map. Come pay us a visit to see the show (learn more here) before you hit the road!
1. The University of Texas, Old Main: The cornerstone dedication for UT’s old main building took place on Friday, November 17, 1882. In 1934, the cornerstone was moved to its permanent spot under the tower loggia by the southern entrance of UT’s current Main Building.
110 Inner Campus Drive
Hint: This cornerstone is no longer a cornerstone. Look for it displayed by the southern entrance of Old Main / UT Tower.
Nearby landmarks: UT Tower
2. Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum: The Museum was named after Texas’ 38th Lieutenant Governor, Bob Bullock, who championed the preservation and exhibition of Texas history. The Grand Lodge of Texas leveled the cornerstone before it officially opened its doors in 2001.
1800 Congress Avenue
Hint: The cornerstone is at the northeast corner of the Museum.
Nearby Landmarks: Blanton Museum of Art
3. Scottish Rite Temple: The Scottish Rite Theater is the oldest theater in Austin. It was originally erected in 1871 as a German opera house. The Shriners purchased the building in 1912. The Scottish Rite Masons then purchased the site in 1920 and it has functioned as their lodge since that time.
207 West 18th Street
Hint: The cornerstone is at the northeast corner of the building to the left of the main entrance.
Nearby Landmarks: Bullock Texas State History Museum
4. Travis County Court House: This courthouse was erected in 1930 and serves as the county seat for Travis County. In 2005, it was renamed the “Heman Marion Sweatt Travis County Courthouse “in honor of Sweatt’s involvement in the Supreme Court case Sweatt v. Painter and its significance to the Civil Rights Movement.
1000 Guadalupe
Hint: The cornerstone is at the northeast corner of the building.
Nearby Landmarks: Wooldridge Square Park, Austin History Center
5. The Texas Capitol: The cornerstone dedication ceremony took place on March 2, 1885, the 49th anniversary of Texas Independence. This particular corner station is made up of 16,000 points of red granite quarried out in Burnet County.
1100 Congress Avenue
Hint: The cornerstone is at the northeast corner of the Capitol not far from the east entrance.
Nearby Landmarks: Texas Governor’s Mansion
6. Lorenzo de Zavala State Archives and Library - Statues of Sam Houston and Anson Jones: Statues of two prominent men (and Presidents!) from Texas history stand guard a the archives’ entrance. Each man is adorned with Masonic regalia, including their aprons and gavels.
1201 Brazos Street
Hint: These statues flank the Archive’s main entrance on the west side of the building.
Nearby Landmarks: Texas State Capitol, Waterloo Park
7. Rhapsody by John Yancey: This mosaic mural commemorates East Austin blues and jazz musicians. It also focuses on 3 pillars of the Black community: the church, the school, and the Masonic Lodge. Yancey includes a lodge meant to represent Prince Hall Freemason Lodges that continue to stand in Black townships and settlements all over the United States.
1021 East 11th Street
Nearby Landmarks: French Legation, Texas Music Museum, Franklin Barbecue
8. Mt. Bonnell Lodge No. 2: This cornerstone stands at the foot of one of the first 5 Prince Hall Lodges in Texas. Established in 1863, this lodge has operated since the time of Emancipation and continues to serve its community.
1154 Angelina Street
Hint: The lodge houses a small shop. Please be respectful of the business when taking photos. The cornerstone is on the northeast corner of the building near the front entrance.
Nearby Landmarks: George Washington Carver Museum, Austin Public Library Carver Branch
