The Masons

For some reason, Freemasons seem to be big in New Mexico. Big and powerful. This temple, for example, is right by the only place we could find parking near Santa Fe Plaza the other day, and the lot turns out to be under Masonic control. And, of course, the main thing I've learned on my trip is that outside of my cozy Northeastern home, if you control the parking, you control the world.

Meanwhile, in Taos we went to the Kit Carson Home where it was revealed that Carson, the "legendary" mountain man neither of us had heard of, had been a Mason, as were most of the important figures in 19th Century Taos. Not only that, but the tour guide darkly hinted that the home/museum complex was still under the thumb of the Masons and that the Masons actually had the power to blot a person's name out of history. Which is all fine as far as it goes, but it raises the question of who's really behind Bill Richardson's presidential campaign -- does he serve the American people, or the vast Masonic conspiracy? Think about it.

Comments

never heard of kit carson? how about the long walk of the navajos..

try this:

http://www.amazon.com/Blood-Thunder-Epic-American-West/dp/0385507771/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-4317285-4632948?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1177883094&sr=8-1

Posted by joe | April 29, 2007 5:45 PM

Don't know if this will see the light of day, but I gained a lot of insight into the significance of the Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias (I actually live in a town that has an active (?) branch of the Knights of Pythias!) a number of years ago when I visited a now nearly deserted Nevada boom town of the late 19th century. Went to the largest population center, the cemetery, and discovered that while the Catholics (sorry, Matt) were buried in a Catholic section, all the other people were in Masonic, Odd Fellow, Knights of Pythias, etc. sections.

And the age of the people buried was frightening -- apparently the mines were full of dust particles that corroded the lungs of the miners and killed them off in droves at a very young age. So you take an isolated, largely young male population of guys who know they will very likely die young and don't have the family, financial, or church resources to ensure burial, and the Masons, with their commitment to bury their dead, look very good to someone who doesn't want the local wolves picking their bones. (I don't know if there were ever wolves in Nevada, maybe it would have been the local crows.)

Posted by Gene O'Grady | April 29, 2007 8:18 PM

If anyone is interested, the town in my previous post on cemeteries and Masons is Goldfield Nevada (as opposed to Arizona and other states which may also have a Goldfield).

One of the few businesses in Goldfield that is still active is a dive bar called the Mozart Club that has a large painting of a skeleton on the outside wall. No idea why.

Posted by Gene O'Grady | April 29, 2007 9:11 PM

the lot turns out to be under Masonic control

Well, we now can point to something which, if questioned, we can say for sure is controled by the Masons.

But, Matt, you write as though you never noticed the huge Scottish-Rite Masonic Temple on 16th Street in DC.

Posted by Constantine | April 29, 2007 9:16 PM

That Masons building is probably the most controversial structure in Santa Fe. After all, it doesn't fit into the falsified "historical" look that the town's promoters work for.

But the Masons aren't that big in New Mexico now. That building has a lot more to do with power in early 20th century New Mexico than today.

Posted by Erik | April 29, 2007 9:21 PM

One of the many things that under which Carson if only parkings but not so directly. In other words,

suspicions the
was noted.
the government.

Posted by Tyrone Slothrop | April 30, 2007 8:51 AM

You do know who Matt's father is right? And you do know which movie he adapted right? I'm sure Matt has run into things about the Masons a few times.

Posted by Rob | April 30, 2007 9:20 AM

Maybe this is just the angry American historian in me, but it's slightly incredible that you never heard of, or even heard the name of, Kit Carson.

Otherwise, I like the new Atlantic site.

Posted by Ben Cronin | April 30, 2007 10:13 AM

Never heard of Kit Carson? So who did you think Carson Pass was named after, Johnny?

I mean, you do know where Carson Pass is, right? You couldn't possibly be that ignorant.

Posted by Tom Hilton | April 30, 2007 12:15 PM

Not only that, but the tour guide darkly hinted that the home/museum complex was still under the thumb of the Masons and that the Masons actually had the power to blot a person's name out of history. Which is all fine as far as it goes,

Why is it fine that Masons had the power to "blot a person's name out of history?"

Posted by Rambuncle | April 30, 2007 12:38 PM

Tubal Cain

Posted by Fred | April 30, 2007 2:21 PM

Freemasons? Isn't that some sort of legendary organization that I've never heard of?

Posted by FS | April 30, 2007 2:56 PM

"Never heard of Kit Carson? So who did you think Carson Pass was named after, Johnny?"

Not to mention the Carson River, the Carson Trail, the Carson Sink, Carson Valley and Carson City, Nevada.

Posted by sfs | April 30, 2007 4:33 PM