History

Read about our 120+ year history of serving Masons

Request Free History Book

History

Read about our 120+ year history of serving Masons

Request Free History Book

The Beginning

Since opening the doors in 1903, The Home has focused on creating a gracious, dignified lifestyle for its residents.

Masons have always had an obligation to aid and assist needy and distressed brother Master Masons, their wives, widows, mothers, sisters, daughters, grandmothers, and granddaughters.

The Masons of Nebraska defined that obligation to include shelter, food, clothing, health services and burial for qualified members of the fraternity and their eligible female relatives. The Nebraska Masonic Home was incorporated in 1888 and established on September 1, 1903 in Plattsmouth, Nebraska.

Since opening the doors in 1903, The Home has focused on creating a gracious, dignified lifestyle for its residents. Through the years The Home evolved from the original 3-story, 16-room home to the current facility.

September 1, 1903: 

The Nebraska Masonic Home opened.

The
Beginning

June 22, 1903:
The White property was purchased for $5,000 for The Nebraska Masonic Home.

There are 29 apartments/units that offer comfort and security to our residents. The Second Floor of the Spencer Wing houses 19 rooms in our Assisted Living Center where a higher level of assisted living is available to these residents. On the Third Floor of the Spencer Wing is where four levels of Long Term Care are provided.

Memory Care is available for those residents requiring more extended care and continuous monitoring. The specialized care provided to the residents with Alzheimer’s Disease and other dementia-related illnesses in the self-contained, living environment will greatly improve the quality of life for these residents.

 

The Home is a non-profit corporation under the laws of Nebraska. The Home was to be available for needy, elderly Nebraska Master Masons and those female relatives that might become dependent on them. During the intervening years, new buildings were erected and new admission criteria and services were added to better meet the needs of our membership and changing times.

Growing Community

Every Nebraska Mason, friends of The Home, and many Masonic-affiliated organizations help provide funds for daily operational expenses. True to its original purpose, The Masonic Home endures as a testament to the thoughtful concern and lasting loyalty that make the community of Freemasons unique.

September 9, 1905

A Groundbreaking Ceremony for an addition to the rear of the existing White home was held. The two-story addition included: resident rooms, a kitchen, and dining facilities for a cost of $15,696.

1908

A second building addition with 22 rooms was added to the current structure on the north side of the original home. A maintenance building for the boiler system and the laundry was added just north and east.

1914

Census at The Home was 57 residents.

1914

Male residents are enjoying fresh air and fellowship on the front lawn of The Home.

September 1925

Dedication ceremony for the completion of the 4-story 1924 Wing. The four-story addition included 34 resident rooms, 3 octagonal resident parlors, a surgery room, a physician’s office, a kitchen, an employee dining room and a living area for nursing staff.

1928

Census at The Home was 69 residents.

1952

A 4-story addition was added to the 1924 Wing which included resident rooms, kitchen, dining room, offices, a chapel, parlors, and solariums.

1962

A two-story Maintenance Facility was built. The old maintenance building and laundry was razed, leveled and covered over for a parking lot.

1962

The finished two-story Maintenance Facility.

1989

A 100-bed 24-hour nursing care facility addition was added to the west of the 1962 Wing. This wing was named the Spencer Wing in honor of Judge Harry A. Spencer, long-time President of the Board of Trustees.

Today’s
Retirement
Community

Since 2000, The Home reached record residency and expanded for specialty care.

The Home has made changes, as needed, to provide the finest care available for those choosing The Nebraska Masonic Home as their place of residence.

Memory Care was first offered at The Home in June of 2000. There are 14 rooms that provide a very special environment for these residents.

June 2000

The cornerstone was laid for the new, dedicated wing for Memory Care which includes 14 bedrooms.

October 2001

Census at The Home was a record 113 residents.

April 30, 2011

A Groundbreaking Ceremony was attended by many community members, residents, board members and staff.

August 2013

The cornerstone for the Mary C. Stapp Wing was laid.