Grand Lodge of Maine, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons
From 1619 to 1820, Maine was a District of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In 1762, the Provincial Grand Lodge of the Grand Lodge of England (now the United Grand Lodge of England) issued a charter to form a lodge in Falmouth (said lodge later moving to Portland) at the request of a number of Masons living in the area. In 1819, the people of Maine voted to withdraw from Massachusetts and form a separate State. The Maine Lodges (there were 31 at the time, active and thriving) then met in convention and voted to follow suit and form their own Grand Lodge when the separation should take place. Maine joined the Union as the 23rd State on March 15, 1820 and the Grand Lodge of Maine came into being on June 1 following. It was consecrated by the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire on June 24, 1820 with William King, the first (and serving) Governor of Maine installed into the office of Grand Master.