Solomon's Builders: Freemasons, Founding Fathers and the Secrets of Washington D.C.

by Christopher L. Hodapp

DID THE FREEMASONS CREATE THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA?
Step back in time to the birth of a revolutionary new republic and discover how the utopian ideals of a visionary secret society laid the foundation for the most powerful nation on earth. Follow George Washington, Benjamin Franklin and other Founding Fathers as they transform the democratic principles of their Masonic lodges into a radical new nation.
Solomon’s Builders unravels history from myth as it takes you on a Freemason’s tour of Washington, D.C. It reveals the evidence of Masonic influence during the construction of America and its new capital, including clues hidden in plain sight:

•Masonic connections to national monuments
•Puzzling pentagrams and symbolism in city streets
•The mysterious temples of the “Widow’s Sons”

Solomon’s Builders relates the true stories of these visionary founders, and the fascinating meaning behind the cryptic codes, enigmatic symbols and intriguing architecture that is reputedly the basis for the sequel to The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown’s novel The Lost Symbol.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, American History, Historical, Political Science

336 pages, Paperback

First published December 21, 2006

About the author

Christopher L. Hodapp is the Public Relations director for the Grand Lodge F&AM of Indiana and the Editor Emeritus of the "Journal of The Masonic Society." He is the author of the best-selling "Freemasons For Dummies," and "Solomon's Builders: Freemasons, Founding Fathers and the Secrets of Washington D.C." His newest Masonic book, "Heritage Endures" was published in January 2018.

He is also the co-author with Alice Von Kannon of "RVs & Campers For Dummies," "The Templar Code For Dummies" and "Conspiracy Theories and Secret Societies For Dummies."

His "Freemasons For Dummies" blog is the world's most widely read source of national and international news about the Masonic fraternity.

Hodapp is a 33° Scottish Rite Freemason and a Knight Templar, and belongs to countless appendant Masonic bodies and research organizations. In 2010, he and Von Kannon developed episodes for the History Channel program, "Brad Meltzer's Decoded," and web content for TruTV. They have appeared on History, Discovery, National Geographic, Smithsonian, and the American Heroes Channel, most recently on "America: Fact Vs. Fiction."

Chris spent more than twenty-five years editing, writing and directing as a commercial filmmaker for regional and national clients. He has written for corporate and non-profit programs, and his voice has appeared in many television and radio commercials. He is a popular speaker and appears on radio and TV, and at Masonic lodges and schools across North America.

Chris lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. He is also the director of the Masonic Library and Museum of Indiana, and served in 2019-21 as the Worshipful Master of the Dwight L. Smith Lodge of Research U.D.

Reviews

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting out with a carefully-researched recounting of Worshipful Brother George Washington's first entrance into the Lodge of Fredericksburg, Hodapp then traces the history of Freemasonry from its origins, shrouded as they are in mystery and speculation, up through the organization of the very first Masonic Grand Lodge in London and on across the Atlantic Ocean to America.

Sprinkled with diagrams and pictures of important Masonic sites in the District, the majority of this book looks at the history of Masonry as it has developed in the District of Columbia. Rumors and questions most notably brought before the public in Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code are examined and evaluated from the enlightened position of the author, a Past Master of two Masonic Lodges and author of Freemasons for. Dummies.

[Mark Muckerman · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just. Not. Good.

The best bit of writing in this book is the summary blurb that enticed me to buy the damn thing in the first place. . .

When you have a book title that includes the words "Freemasons" and "Secrets", you hope and expect that the book will CONTAIN Freemasons' Secrets. Hodapp's work is really more a brief (as well as boring and incomplete) overview of the history of Freemasonry, particularly in the U.S., and then a badly written effort to "debunk" accusatory mythologies surrounding Freemasons as part of the New World Order / Secret Society / Illuminatti / yadda yadda yadda. Fine. Whatever. I don't know that it's as hot a topic as it was in the year of National Treasure, but hey - if you're going to go after this topic, at least do a good job of it.

Apparently the All-Seeing Eye did not see what a steaming turd this book would be.

I could crank out 4 or 5 more paragraphs of disappointment in this book, but the final two will inevitably descend into a rant of rage, disdain and disgust. So in summation: Just skip this one; it sucked, and by the time I turned the last page I was really yearning for "and then the Freemasons hit an iceberg and everyone died. . ."

[Patrick Kinney · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a mason myself this one was a tough read. The book is less than 300 pages and took longer than some books for me that are 600 pages. Although there is some really good history here this book has a very conservative viewpoint. It’s clear this book is a response to conspiracy theories but that doesn’t mean completely omit the truth to be scared of repercussions.
I didn’t feel the book was structured well. It started out awesome as George Washington was being initiated, then went down hill from there. For the record Chris Hodapp masonry’s biggest embarrassment doesn’t have to do with price hall recognition. It’s the fact that lodges up north give away degrees without people turning in work. That’s what has ruined this fraternity, choosing quantity over quality. Price hall is very much recognized here in Texas.
All this to say if you’re an older mason with not much information on the history of the craft this book might be for you. If you are looking for anything new like the rest of us regular masons you won’t find much here and things you do know to be true will be contended as false. I hope one day the craft gets the due history book that is deserved without political opinions.

[Stanky Leg II · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good Freemason lore. The information was lackluster. It was mostly a history of the Early US and the Freemasons in general. There was a lack of conspiracy theory leads.

[Carl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably more like 2.5 stars. A good starting point for those new to Freemasonry and who want to dispel all the crazy Hollywood nonsense. However, there are a few errors of fact here and there that make me wonder about the facts I am less familiar with. Mistakes like that drive me crazy, because they destroy credibility for the whole project.

[Joel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well done Brother. So Mote It Be!

Best book written on Freemasonry. Hands down, by far. I encourage all Brothers to read this book as it does the best justice to the greatest fraternity in the world.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I knew very little about Free Masonry prior to reading this book so this was an introduction. But I am not sure that I understand what it is Masons do (lay cornerstones for buildings? initiate members? have deep non-religious and non-political conversations?). The book was particularly interesting as a resident of Washington and it was also a good reminder of how important fraternal organizations were not so long ago.

[Jeffrey Nichols · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book

I picked this book up on sale as I've heard and been fascinated with Masons but didn't know much about them because of rumors that spread. This book did a good job of explaining some things and disputing others with facts as well as reasons why things may or may not be true. Its opened my eyes and made me feel that becoming a Mason might be something I want to do. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in masons.

[Ryan Elblein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read for those interested in Masonic history

This book walks you through what is truly known about Masonic history without creating wild conspiracy theories that have no founding. The author even mentions some of the conspiracy theories and debunks them. Great read for both Masons and non-masons!

[Asher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great review of the role of the Freemasons in the founding of the Unites States and Washington DC in particular.

The author manages to show how various conspiracy theories have no basis, but still show the good work that Freemasons did in founding the United States.

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I did learn some things about the Freemasons and their beliefs and buildings, the book was "just OK" for me. A lot of it was a re-telling of well-known history or a boring list of Masonic buildings in the Washington DC area.

[Vern · Rating 1 out of 5]

I made it partway through Chapter 3 before giving up. The writing style was flat, and disjointed.

[Ann M. Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting and informative read. I learned many interesting historical items. Not a dry history book

[Shaun · Rating 2 out of 5]

I picked this up at a gift shop outside Monticello in Virginia, understanding that the author had written "Freemasonry for Dummies" and almost completely deflected by it's jarring, hokey cover. Yet, I read it.

Hodapp's primary concern here is to make sure that anyone currently being carried away by Dan Brown's novels (Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol), or the movies based on them, doesn't go so far as to take Brown's work for fact. I'm not familiar with Brown's books, but I couldn't help picking up a book that specifically addressed the building of Washington DC. And really, I grabbed this book because I have a persistent curiosity about the power of symbols imbued by the collective belief in those symbols - not only the belief of the people who hold them dear, but the belief that "outsiders" may have in the potency of these same symbols, particularly in cases where they are (or maybe just because they are) shrouded in secrecy and/or some presumed relevance to people who appear to hold significant positions of power.

To call speculation and mistrust in powerful organizations such as the Freemasons "conspiracy theories" is usually a tactic for dismissing the concept of questioning in general, be it far-fetched questioning or just general suspicion. Hodapp is excited to dismiss grander "New World Order"-styled notions, but reluctant to analyze any of the more general questions of scope and intention that an average reader might have. That Freemasonry was such a player in the lives of many of the white men who were concerned with the colonizing of North America is indisputable - but why was this so? Esoteric insignias, secret handshakes and white leather aprons start to seem damned creepy when you can't get a straight answer even from many contemporary masonic websites - which I'm guessing is one reason why Brown's books are so popular. Hodapp has some clarifying answers: basically that the symbols the Masons play with are harmless, metaphorical reminders of morality lessons and core values not even particularly restricted to Masons themselves (broad concepts like "Virtue", for example) but that fit within a fraternal framework that, while curious, isn't really cause for alarm. It's a perspective to take seriously, but I would argue that symbols intertwined with power, particularly in the case of an exclusive, codified power limited to men, are never harmless. Maybe it's all just a hokey fraternity of well-meaning dudes, as Hodapp essentially asserts, maybe it's a mutual aid network for the rich and powerful, or maybe somewhere in between.

On the upswing, the author actually sheds light on some pretty basic fundamentals of Freemasonry, some simplified, helpful history (from the inside perspective, Hodapp himself is a Freemason), and some general information that's crucial for just getting a basic idea of why anyone is ever involved in this sort of club in the first place. Getting bogged down in denouncements of Freemasonry is easy enough, finding clear information on what they stand for, at least on the surface, doesn't come so easily. If nothing else, I got a quick course in the basic ideas, which helps greatly in framing any remaining skepticism or appreciation. I wanted to delve further, but it won't happen here.

(By the way, patriotic nationalist grandstanding aside, I can't help but point out that there's some particularly sloppy history in here, enough to make me wince more than once. Hodapp skips politely right past complex characters and organizations which often pop up elsewhere with respect to the history of Freemasons - Andrew Jackson, the Know-Nothing Party, the Church of Latter-Day Saints, etc. - only pausing to address stand-out characters like Albert Pike who bear the brunt of specifically anti-Masonic accusations and just have questionable reputations in general. But some stuff in here is just dumb: on page 231, Hodapp actually refers to Brigham Young (who led the LDS followers in exodus to Utah after Joseph Smith's murder) as "truly one of the world's greatest colonizers" without even a hint of examination. On page 50 - and I wish I was making this up, the suggestion is part of a paragraph discussing the unique use of the word "happiness" in the Declaration of Independence - "Americans want not only to be happy themselves, but to spread happiness to every corner of the globe... we even gave the world Disneyland." )

[Tyler Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actually giving this 3.5 stars.
The real conspiracy is the attempt to convince people that there is a different conspiracy. That's what it really comes down to. Turns out, Freemasons actually don't run the world, never wanted to, and never tried. But there is an ongoing (non)conspiracy of a wide variety of individuals, divvied up mainly between illiterate right wing religious wonks and sadly credulous tinfoil hat types, to convince everyone of the opposite, and thus garner enthusiasm for whatever it is they want people to do.

WB Hodapp knows this better than many, and Solomon's Builders reads somewhat like a time/location specific sequel to his Freemasons For Dummies, laying it out in clear terms as to who was or wasn't, what their involvements in this or that might have been, and so forth. He cleanly and easily debunks a good number of standard American urban myths and legends about Freemasons and saturation or not of our government's symbols, structures, and institutions by the same.

The first portion of this book is a bit of an historical gulp, careening through the Middle Ages, Reformation, Inquisition and Early Enlightenment. I could have done without it, but it does serve to open up some of the central text to those who maybe don't read history all the time for fun. I would have liked a little more elaborate meat on the bone of Masonic philosophy and conceptions and their influence on, say, the Declaration and Constitution. The framework is there, however, and gives an interested reader enough to go on, should they want to look further.

Perhaps my favorite aspects of this book were the laundry list chapters toward the end, being inventories of famous American Freemasons, and the Masonic buildings of the DC area. One might well lead to further reading, and the other could be used as a travel guidebook around the Capital.

[Michael Snuffin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. I found it both well-written and informative, with many well-deserved humorous jabs at Masonic conspiracy theorists. Solomon’s Builders sets the record straight about the historical connections between Freemasonry and the formation of the American government. I think the author did an excellent job describing Masonry and its historical significance to the non-Masonic general reader.

I especially liked “Chapter Five: How the Freemasons Invented America”, which talks about the freedoms enshrined in the U.S. Constitution and their probable origins in Anderson’s Constitutions, the rules and regulations of the Masons first published in 1723. Representative government, term limits, separation of church and state, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly—all practiced by the Masons for over fifty years before the American Revolution.

The last few chapters read like a masonic tourists’ guide to Washington, D.C. Lots of biographies of significant American masons and interesting bits of history. Someday I will visit our nation’s capital, and when I do I’ll definitely bring this book with me. Highly recommended.

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starting out with a carefully-researched recounting of Worshipful Brother George Washington's first entrance into the Lodge of Fredericksburg, Hodapp then traces the history of Freemasonry from its origins, shrouded as they are in mystery and speculation, up through the organization of the very first Masonic Grand Lodge in London and on across the Atlantic Ocean to America.

Sprinkled with diagrams and pictures of important Masonic sites in the District, the majority of this book looks at the history of Masonry as it has developed in the District of Columbia. Rumors and questions most notably brought before the public in Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code are examined and evaluated from the enlightened position of the author, a Past Master of two Masonic Lodges and author of Freemasons for. Dummies.

[Chuck Springer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a well written book based on extensive research and with a detailed bibliography to support various topics concerning the foundations, influences, planning & construction of Washington D.C. Detail is also provided on the significant positive influence the Craft had on the Founding Fathers of this country.

It was published shortly after Dan Brown's "The Lost Symbol", to correct some exaggerations and misrepresentations found in that novel. Thus the author is able to effectively dismiss some of the rumors and half-truths about Freemasonry that others tend to believe.

The last few chapters are set up to resemble a masonic tourists' guide to Washington, D.C. It provides a variety of biographies of significant American masons, interesting tidbits plus locations of significant statues, libraries and other locations during a visit to our nation's capital.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was informational but had a little bit more about George Washington, than Washington D.C than I wanted to know.
Lines that I liked were:
"Like these images, the symbolism that appears in the philosophy of Freemasonry is there to inspire the individual Mason to think higher thoughts, perform nobler deeds and attain greater achievements, Freemasonry is not a religion. It is not a plan for worldwide domination. It is an institution that inspire its members simpy to be better men, better citizens, betters sons and fathers."
"It is an institution that encourges Masons to be the best possible men they can be to their families, their communities and their Creator."

[Valdeir · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is on the Freemason's Grand Lodge of California reading list for incoming and newly initiated Freemasons. It covers majority of American heroes of the past and famous individuals. The first half of the book was exciting to me because of the little facts that were always in front of me but I never realized the Masonic connection it carried. I had my own speculations but never explored the facts and the author provides good facts. For anyone who is interested in the fraternity's connection with American history and the foundation of the country this is a good introductory on the subject.

[Pete · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book, starting with a great depiction of the First Degree. Closing paragraph was really touching:
"Solomon's Builders still construct temples on Earth today, they do not need to hew stones or erect marble edifices. They do not need to hide cryptic messages in street maps or conceal strange symbols in the dentils and modillions of public buildings. The temples they build are in their own hearts-spiritual buildings, not made with hands. And the monuments they leave behind are far more eternal than any limestone obelisk. That is the true secret of Freemasonry."

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good history on the founding fathers and how Masonry affected their beliefs and decisions as they began a new country. My curiousity wanders if Masonry shaped their beliefs and philosophies or were they Masons because of their beliefs and philosophies. Does it really matter? This book also shows how ridiculous some of the conspiracy and anti-mason theories are concerning DC and our founders. Good read. I enjoyed it.

[Nicholas Vettese · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a Freemason, I'm intrigued by books on the subject, and Christopher Hodapp is one of the leading writers of freemasonry. The book is a solid and easy read, whether you are a Freemason or not. The information is sound, and helps you to get an understanding of how the founding fathers and Freemasonry came together to create a new and better country.

[Rob · Rating 5 out of 5]

If your knowledge of Freemasonry stems from pop-culture mysteries, you will be well familiar with the theme of this book. Author Christopher Hodapp does an excellent job explaining the Masonic origins of the United States.

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative. I am familiar with the Masons or Freemasons. Only because I have an ex-husband who was preparing to enter the Masons. And of course, thanks to Dan Brown and the Lost Symbol. So I wanted to learn a little more in which I did.

[Jason · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting material but poorly written.

[Don mckinney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting history

[Gene McAvoy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written. Interesting.