Cortez Lodge No. 133 Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, with the assistance of the Masonic Grand Lodge of Colorado, will lay a cornerstone at the new Montezuma-Cortez High School at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 1.
A time capsule containing Masonic and Grand Lodge information and items provided by the Montezuma-Cortez Re-1 school district will be installed behind the cornerstone.
Freemasons have a long history of laying cornerstones for public buildings, including the cornerstone at the U.S. Capitol in 1793, officiated by George Washington as Worshipful Master, and at Denver International Airport in 1994.
Masonry historically has valued education, instructing its members in liberal arts prior to education as we know it.
The local, Blue Lodge is the foundation of Freemasonry. Members go further into Freemasonry as members of the Chapter, Cryptic Masons and Knights Templar, which comprise York Rite, Scottish Rite, and appendant bodies such as Shrine.
Freemasonry arrived in Colorado with mining. About 1,500 Freemasons belong to one of 134 lodges in Colorado, of about 3.4 million Freemasons in the U.S.
Montezuma-Cortez High School is at 418 S. Sligo St.