Old Hickory Chapter, #203 Order of the Eastern Star

The Order of the Eastern Star is the largest fraternal organization in the world to which 

both women and men may belong. Worldwide, there are over 500,000 members under the

General Grand Chapter.

The Eastern Star is not a religious organization, but its principles are based on Biblical

examples of heroic conduct and moral values and strives to build an environment for our

members that is dedicated to charity, truth, and loving kindness by uplifting each other and

through service in our local communities.

The Order of the Eastern Star was founded by a Master Mason named Dr. Rob Morris in

the mid-19th century. He believed that all the good in Masonry should not be confined to only

men and that it should be for the whole family. The laws of Masonry did not allow for women

to be members and he knew he could not change the ancient laws, so he started an

organization for the female relatives of Masons.

While Dr. Morris was confined to his home after an accident, he and his wife developed

the Eastern Star Degrees. They carefully thought out the symbolism, the floor plan, and the

officers. They established signs and passes, colors and emblems, and defined the fundamental

principles that have remained unchanged throughout the years. While the Order has evolved

over time, its tenets, ceremonies, and fundamental principles have remained relatively

unchanged.

Even though the Order was created for the female relatives of Masons, our laws require

that Master Masons also be included in our membership. There are some offices that can only

be held by male members of the organization.

General Grand Chapter is based in Washington, DC and has Jurisdictional Grand

Chapters and/or direct subordinate Chapters in 48 states of the US, plus Puerto Rico and

Washington, DC, all of Canada’s provinces, and approximately 14 other countries worldwide.

There are two other International Eastern Star organizations that also sponsor Eastern Star

Grand Chapters and/or subordinate Chapters in other foreign countries. These are the Grand

Chapter of Australia and the Grand Chapter of Scotland.