The Tonopah Mining ParkOn Saturday August 1st I had the opportunity to attend a Cornerstone Ceremony held at the Tonopah Historic Mining Park. It was conducted by the Masons in accordance with the customs and traditions of the Grand Lodge, Free & Accepted Masons – State of Nevada. For those of you who are not familiar with this practice, visit Cornerstone Ceremony.
The setting was inside the Mizpah Mine Hoist House at the Tonopah Mining Park. The ceremony began with a processional made up of all the Mason’s attending from around the state. There were about 30 of them and they entered in rank order. This was followed by the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance. A proclamation was read by Dan I. Newman, Grand Marshal followed by Lee Greenwood’s recording of “God Bless the USA”.
Most Worshipful Grand Master David O. Martinez. Denise Nelson – Photographer and provided courtesy of the Tonopah Times-Bonanza.Next up was the Most Worshipful Grand Master – David O. Martinez D.D.S. who gave us a great overview of the history of the Nevada Masons. He introduced past Town Board Chair Cindy Kaminski who welcomed everyone and gave us a brief history of Jim Butler whose discovery of gold launched the mine back in the early 1900’s. This was preceded by filling the cornerstone with a time capsule.
A number of items including Town Board minutes documenting the conveyance of the mining park to the Tonopah Mining Park Historical Society, a list of all those in attendance at this ceremony, a list of the sitting Town Board, a brochure about the Mining Park and several newly minted coins were placed in the capsule and inserted into the Cornerstone.
Spreading the mortar. Denise Nelson – Photographer and provided courtesy of the Tonopah Times-Bonanza.The final act was “spreading the mortar” using a trowel the Mason’s have used in every cornerstone ceremony since the 1920’s. The trowel was a replica of the trowel used to set the cornerstone at the George Washington Masonic Memorial building in Washington, DC. This is a symbolic gesture and is performed by invited guests.
The ceremony concluded with a scripture reading, an Oration and a Benediction. The audience was asked to remain seated until the conclusion of the recessional. The Cornerstone Ceremony was followed with a barbeque which I was unable to attend due to an appointment I had with Virginia Ridgway and the ghosts at the Goldfield Hotel, but that is another story.
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