The George Washington Memorial Banquet hall is dedicated to our first president who was also a Mason. We can seat 220 people for dinner and the room is used for banquets, receptions, special events and lectures.

On the tables around the perimeter of the room we have a collection of Royal Arch pennies collected by Albert Hanauer in the 1920s. They are displayed by state and there are a few international ones as well. The room was decorated using colors and motifs that were found in the ruins of Pompeii.

We have two pictures of George Washington displayed. One depicts Washington laying the cornerstone of the US Capitol. This was a Masonic cornerstone laying and he performed the ceremony in full Masonic regalia, wearing his Past Masters jewel. Due to the expansion of the Capitol building after initial construction was complete, the actual location of the cornerstone is unknown.

The second picture shows Washington’s inauguration, which took place in New York, the capitol of the country at the time. The Bible Washington is being sworn in on was provided by St. John’s Lodge No. 1, when it was realized no Bible had been provided. It is still in their possession today. The same Bible is offered to every incoming president for their inauguration, though most choose to use family Bibles. It has been used at four Presidential Inaugurations since Washington; Harding, Eisenhower, Carter, and Bush Sr.