Masonic (formerly Lorena) is a
ghost town
A ghost town, deserted city, extinct town, or abandoned city is an abandoned settlement, usually one that contains substantial visible remaining buildings and infrastructure such as roads. A town often becomes a ghost town because the economi ...
located about northeast of
Bridgeport
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut and the fifth-most populous city in New England, with a population of 148,654 in 2020. Located in eastern Fairfield County at the mouth of the Pequonnock River on Long Is ...
,
Mono County, California
Mono County ( ) is a county (United States), county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 13,195, making it the fourth-least populous county in California. T ...
, USA.
The town consists of an
upper, middle, and
lower
Lower may refer to:
* ''Lower'' (album), 2025 album by Benjamin Booker
*Lower (surname)
*Lower Township, New Jersey
*Lower Receiver (firearms)
*Lower Wick
Lower Wick is a small hamlet located in the county of Gloucestershire, England. It is sit ...
town;
most of the few ruins remaining are in the middle town. Gold was first discovered in the 1860s, but production ceased near the start of the 20th century. The town's population peaked at about 1,000.
History
The town was founded by
Freemasons
Freemasonry (sometimes spelled Free-Masonry) consists of fraternal groups that trace their origins to the medieval guilds of stonemasons. Freemasonry is the oldest secular fraternity in the world and among the oldest still-existing organizati ...
, hence its name.
Middle Town, the largest of the three towns, had a post office, boarding house, and a general store.
It also housed the offices of the town's newspaper: ''The Masonic Pioneer''.
The Lorena post office opened in 1905, changed its name to Masonic in 1906, closed in 1912, re-opened in 1913 and closed for good in 1927.
Masonic's population in 1906 was about 500.
The principal mine, called the Pittsburg-Liberty Mine, produced $700,000 in gold before closing in 1910.
By 1911, Masonic was in decline, although some mines kept in production until the 1920s.
See also
*
List of ghost towns in California
Ghost towns in California were caused by factors including the end of the California gold rush, the creation of new lakes, and the abandonment of formerly-used rail and motor routes.
Classification
Barren site
* Sites no longer in exist ...
References
External links
History of the Masonic mining district (2004 Mono County Historical Society Newsletter)
Former settlements in Mono County, California
Freemasonry in California
Ghost towns in California
Mining communities in California
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