The Founding of the HSAF

The Historical Society for American Fraternalism started in 2015. Several of the members of the current Board of Directors began discussing the need for a internet based resource for individuals looking for information on fraternal groups. Fraternalism is woven into the fabric of American life. From the days of the Revolutionary War, to the Roaring 20’s, up to modern times, people have looked for groups composed of like minded people with which to associate themselves.

Freemasonry, the oldest and largest of these organizations, has a network of independently run museums, paid for by Grand Lodges and other Masonic groups. They are well funded and assist historians in conducting research and preserving artifacts. However, Freemasonry is an abberation. The remaining clubs and Lodges often don’t have the money or resources to ensure that their history is preserved. More organizations have gone extinct than have made it to the modern day; many more teeter on the precipice of disbandment due to low membership and financial issues.

It was apparent to the founders that if a movement was not started to save the records, ephemera, and artifacts of these groups, then much of it would be lost to history. This is the mission that the HSAF was created to accomplish – to save those important pieces of Americana that relate to the fraternal movement that was so critical to our country’s history.

We hope you enjoy our website as a resource and we look forward to educating everyone on the history of fraternalism.