Corinthian Lodge #8

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The Corinthian Lodge No. 8 resembles many other buildings that host meetings of the secretive fraternal society known as the Freemasons. Corinthian Lodge No. 8 was founded by the men of East Nashville in the 1870s. In the 1870s, members of Corinthian Lodge No. 8 applied to operate as Corinthian Lodge No. 414. The first known location of the Corinthian Lodge was located on the corner of Broadway and Belmont; however, the location moved to the Masonic Temple on Church Street in 1908. The members of the Corinthian Lodge moved locations several times throughout the 1900s until their final building was closed in the 1970s. In 2008, the Lodge merged with the Edgefield chapter of the Freemasons and has a permanent location 1400 Eastland Avenue. The new building in the Edgefield community was completed in 2010, and members continue to meet at this location. The Corinthian Lodge proudly stands as an example of the influence Freemasons hold over politics in Tennessee.

The Freemasons have been a part of America since its founding. Some of the most prominent Tennesseans were Freemasons. Among them are the three presidents hailing from Tennessee: Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, and Andrew Johnson. President Jackson was the only Grand Master of Masons to be elected President. Another prominent Tennessee Freemason was John Bell. Bell served as a member of congress from 1827 to 1841 and served as Senator from 1847 to 1859. He ran an unsuccessful campaign for President in 1860 under the Constitution Party. These are a small portion of the powerful Tennessee politicians involved with the Freemason institutions in Nashville.