A HISTORIC MASONIC PARK  IN THE SAN LUIS VALLEY OF COLORADO

Masonic Park nestles to the right of a bend of the Rio Grande River in the San
Luis Valley of Colorado.

Glenn A. Reiff, 32
59 Villa Drive, Pueblo, Colorado  81001

ONE morning last winter, while enjoying our chokecherry jelly at breakfast,
my wife and I reminisced about our summers in Masonic Park. The cherries
had been picked in the park during the previous summer. As we talked, it
occurred to me that many in the Brotherhood do not know about this park.
Hence, this article. As cabin owners, we have been guests of the San Luis
Valley Lodges for over 20 years. Parks such as this are a Masonic resource
that can be used to help build membership.

        Masonic Park is a historic place. It is nestled east of the San
Juan Mountains along the Rio Grande River. Often thought of as part of the
South Fork, Colorado, community, it was one of the first Masonic parks in
America. While, today, there are many other Masonic parks, few can compare
with this park's unusual natural beauty and rustic charm.

        The Masons who lived close to the San Luis Valley first met here
for their annual Saint John's Day gatherings during the late 1800's. They
assembled at a place called Wagon Wheel Gap, but as their numbers grew,
they needed more space. This is in a very colorful area of Colorado. The
San Luis Valley was once owned by Spain and has a rich Spanish heritage. In
the nearby mountains, John C. Fremont's last expedition almost starved one
winter. The famous mining town of Creed with its repertory theater and the
La Garita Wilderness Area are within a short drive.

        The San Luis Valley Masonic Association was incorporated shortly
after World War I to own and govern the park. It would give the Lodges in
the Valley a place where they could hold their annual Saint John's Day
Assembly and would provide Lodge members with a place for outdoor
recreation and other family activities. This park probably contributed to
the strength of Freemasonry in the San Luis Valley. From the start, Masons
from outside the Valley were allowed to purchase lots and build cabins, but
they were considered as guests.

        Acquisition of the land and establishment of the Association were
the fulfillment of dreams held by Brothers Jesse C. Wiley, 33, and
Marshall H. Van Fleet, 33. These men were the leaders and the force by
which the park was created. Both became Charter Members of the Southern
Colorado Consistory and Grand Masters in Colorado.

        The Association is a non-profit corporation. Each of the seven
Lodges in the Valley elects members of the Park Board, the governing body
of Masonic Park. The Master of each Lodge is an ex-officio member and
sometimes attends meetings of the Board. Each board member has a keen
interest in the park with some of them representing second or third
generations of Masons who have used the park.

        The Saint John's Day Assembly, a social for all Lodges in the
Valley, is still held. In the early days of the park, this was the greatest
event of the year. Masons and Eastern Stars from all over the Valley and
many from elsewhere in Colorado travelled to the park for the big event and
its festivities. As many as 2,000 people attended. The food was delicious,
the games plentiful, and there was a prominent speaker. Many would come
over the dusty roads by automobile, but others preferred the clean luxury
of a trip on a special train. This was very convenient, because the tracks
of the Denver & Rio Grande Railroad go through the Park on the way to
Creed. 

        Originally, all of the cabins were used as hunting or fishing
lodges. Masons from various Scottish Rite Valleys owned most of them.
Following World War II, sections of the park near the highway were utilized
and more modern cabins built. Nowadays, some cabins are used as skiing
lodges; others are 12-month residences. Today, there are over 80 cabins,
and most are owned by Masons from outside the San Luis Valley. Many owners
are from Texas and Oklahoma.

        All buildings belonging to the San Luis Valley Masonic Association
are located near the center of the oldest part of the park. These include a
Masonic pavilion, an Eastern Star pavilion, and a new home for the
full-time caretaker and his family. Rain-proof cooking and picnic areas are
also available. Many social functions occur in the pavilions and picnic
areas. Years ago, young people danced to a nickelodeon in the Masonic
pavilion. Here are some examples of more recent activities. Lodge and
Eastern Star meetings are sometimes held in the pavilions. The Masonic
pavilion has been used for church services. One couple who lived in the
park for years reaffirmed their wedding vows on their 60th anniversary with
80 people in attendance in the Masonic pavilion. Foreign students have
spent the night in the Eastern Star pavilion. Cabin owners, their children,
and their friends enjoy three pot luck dinners each summer as well as many
other picnics.

        Masonic Park is a nature lovers' paradise. There are many
fascinating animals, fish and birds; beautiful wild flowers, trees and
bushes; and colorful mountains and rocks. My wife and I are always thrilled
when we see deer wandering near our cabin. Both of us have fun with the
chipmunks and squirrels. From our deck we enjoy the cool weather, vivid
blue sky, and billowy clouds as we watch eagles and airplanes soaring above
the mountains.

        Fishing and hunting have always been among the main sports in the
park. There are many lakes, reservoirs, and creeks within easy driving
distance. Brook trout are a favorite catch in the creeks. Some of the lakes
are small, alpine in nature, and others are large enough for trolling.
Also, fishing on the Rio Grande is excellent. Brown trout and rainbows are
most plentiful. Last summer the Colorado Division of Wildlife began
releasing a new type of trout called Colorado River Rainbow. These do not
have to be spawned in a hatchery; rather they reproduce and grow in the
river.

        Today, many of the cabins are owned by second and third
generations. Our children will one day inherit our cabin, and I am sure
they will enjoy it as much as we have. It has been our Shangri La. As
Masonic Park approaches its 78th summer, my wife and I are again looking
forward to seeing our friends and enjoying the park's fishing and quiet
solitude.     s

One couple who has lived in the park for years reaffirmed their wedding
vows on their 60th anniversary with 80 people in attendance in the Masonic
pavilion.

Glenn A. Reiff is retired from service in the U.S. Navy, NASA, DOT, and the
University of Southern Colorado. In the Navy he was a line officer and
naval pilot. Brother Reiff's other posts were as engineer, manager, and
professor. He is a member of Pueblo Silver State Lodge No. 95, the Pueblo,
Colorado, Scottish Rite Bodies, and Al Kaly Shrine Temple of Pueblo.

OUR DUTY AS MASONS

        The instinct of fair play and justice is much harder to cultivate
than the distemper of bigotry and prejudice. One needs merely brains to
understand one's neighbor, but it requires soul to love him. Hence the
recent events of racial turmoil in Los Angeles and other cities across the
land have challenged us all to prove democracy can work, the American dream
is achievable, and racism and bigotry are a blight on our land and on our
soul. Professor Abraham Joshua Heschel taught "not everyone is guilty, but
all are responsible." The fact that we do not cause a problem does not
absolve us from responsibility for alleviating it. The Masonic heritage,
embracing the concept of brotherly love and the unity of all under one
universal God, is the surest way to have this nation finally purge itself
of the deep-rooted stain of prejudice that threatens its very future and is
an affront to God and humanity. This is our duty as Americans and as Masons
to extend to all our people the hand of friendship and brotherly love,
using that kindly hand to employ the working tools of our higher natures
and fashion even here on earth that house of mutual respect, understanding,
and love, not built with hands, eternal in the heavens.

Rabbi Sidney S. Guthman, D.D., 32, K\C\C\H\
Long Beach, California, Scottish Rite Bodies

