Indiana's Masonic Museum Artifact Highlighted

by Christopher Hodapp

Ah, timing is everything. On my local front, we were gearing up for summer visitors at the Masonic Library & Museum of Indiana. New banners, new promotions, new graphics, maybe some public programs — now all on hold indefinitely until the COVID-19 pandemic nationwide shutdown finally comes to an end.

So naturally, the April 2020 issue of Indianapolis Monthly magazine just arrived arrived today, especially highlighting all of our capitol city’s great restaurants — that we can’t go visit until the state's pandemic restrictions are lifted. Such are the odd vicissitudes of magazine deadlines closing sometimes months in advance of actual publication.

The back page of the magazine always features an unusual artifact from around the City every month. April’s artifact is none other than the Masonic Library and Museum of Indiana’s unique folk art sculpture by nineteenth century Indiana Mason George S. Frank. It is shown in a beautiful, full-page photo by Tony Valainis with a description of the piece, complete with a few words from our director Mike Brumback (click the image up top to enlarge it).

The magazine should be on news stands this week. It's a terrific mention of our little-known museum to the general public, and just in time for us to be shut down to all visitors and workers.

So it goes.

For more about this unique and complex hand-carved artifact from the late 19th century, have a look at this more detailed article: Symbolism in Wood: The Enigmatic Masonic Puzzle of Brother George S. Frank

Someday, when the world regains its health and sanity, stop in and see us on the 5th floor of the Indianapolis Masonic Temple at 525 N. Illinois Street in Indianapolis. Someday.