On Sunday, June 25, 1911, with temperatures hovering in the mid-70s, brotherhood was on full display as the Daniel D. Tompkins Memorial Chapel was formally dedicated on the Masonic Home campus in Utica, New York. More than seventy Grand Lodge officers were in attendance, including Most Worshipful Robert J. Kenworthy, Grand Master of Masons in the State of New York, who delivered a stirring address honoring the life and legacy of Daniel D. Tompkins.

Tompkins (1774–1825) served as Governor of New York and later as Vice President of the United States under James Monroe, but he also holds an important place in American Masonic history. A devoted Freemason, Tompkins was elected Grand Master of Masons in New York in 1811, guiding the Craft during a formative period marked by war, civic expansion, and growing public influence. He strongly encouraged Masonic charity and education, helping reinforce the fraternity’s role in early-19th-century civic life, and he presided over cornerstone laying’s and public ceremonies that symbolized the close relationship between Masonry and the young Republic.

June 25, 1911

Dear Mamey,

Your welcome card received. Glad to hear from you. Here is where Arthur [Alden VJ?] spent 5 hrs yesterday. The Temple at this place was dedicated. A large crowd attended 12 from our town. There are 200 children in the home without either parent living.

I can’t tell you all or half the good & splendor of this place. There are a lot of old men & women homeless live there. Come if you can let us know when one of us will meet you at [lyons?]

Before the day’s festivities concluded, Grand Master Robert Judson Kenworthy spoke briefly on the theme of Faith, Hope, and Charity, then offered his closing proclamation:

“And now, by virtue of the authority vested in me as Grand Master of the State of New York, I proclaim this chapel, erected to the memory of Daniel D. Tompkins, citizen, patriot, and Mason—open to the use of men and to the honor of the Masonic Orders in the State of New York. We will unite in singing our anthem, My Country, ‘Tis of Thee.”

Pictures are the ultimate gateway to the past. They show us how people dressed and carried themselves, reveal what streets and cities once looked like, and quietly preserve the everyday details time would otherwise erase. More than simple images, they capture customs once practiced, reflect the values of a culture, and offer intimate glimpses into the lives, aspirations, and identities of those who came before us, allowing history to be seen, felt, and understood in a deeply human way.

Before the birth of my daughter, I was an avid nature photographer who enjoyed traveling throughout New York State and across North America, capturing the beauty of wildlife, sweeping landscapes, and the epic scenery painted by the Supreme Architect of the Universe. In time, that passion evolved into collecting historic photographs: tintypes, daguerreotypes, carte de visite, cabinet cards and vintage postcards.

It wasn’t until a few years ago that a close friend, Paul Thompson, asked whether I collected RPPCs. Almost instinctively, I replied, “What’s that?” He explained that RPPCs, or Real Picture Postcards, are authentic, single-image photographs, not mass-produced, but developed in individual studios or darkrooms and printed as one-of-a-kind pieces. In other words, they are rare images, each a unique moment, preserved typically only once.

And so, I began keeping my eye open for such rare images, and naturally, began to search for New York Masonic photographs. The following three images are of historic buildings located on the Masonic Care Community Campus in Utica, New York.

The first image that I acquired was surprisingly unlabeled, yet immediately, I recognized it as the Daniel D. Tompkins Chapel, a historic Masonic landmark erected and dedicated on June 25, 1911. Although the photograph itself is undated, it is reasonable to speculate that the scene was captured in the early twentieth century, perhaps not long after the chapel’s dedication.

Several men appear in the image, quite possibly Freemasons, many wearing the iconic Panama Straw Boater hat, a style that enjoyed widespread popularity during the era. A single woman is also visible, seemingly dressed in a Victorian or early Edwardian day dress, further solidifying the image in its period context. Of particular interest is what appears to be a water fountain at the lower left of the photograph, a small but telling detail that adds depth to the time period.

The final image depicts the Knights Templar Girls’ Building, which at one time, was on the grounds of the Masonic Home in Utica, New York. Gifted by the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar, the building was erected in 1916 and served as the living quarters for female students on campus. Some rooms accommodated as many as eight beds, and every room was furnished with study bookcases and reading lamps. The walls were adorned with American flags, reflecting both the era’s patriotic spirit and the institution’s commitment to discipline, education, and moral instruction.

In the lower right corner of the image appears the imprint Kraus Mfg. Co. Further research indicates that the firm Kraus Manufacturing Company, N.Y., which helped mass produce RPPCs, and postcards of the era, operated between 1912 and 1930. After relocating several times within Manhattan, the company ultimately established its final address at 220 West 42nd Street, just two doors down from the famed Hubert’s Museum, placing Kraus squarely within New York City’s vibrant early-20th-century art and culture scene. With this information, we know exactly where this photograph was developed and sold.

Photographs are timeless keepsakes—silent witnesses to bygone eras, preserving faces, places, and moments that words alone can’t fully capture. Take time to examine your Masonic Lodge’s images, identify the people and settings, and research the stories behind them. In doing so, you won’t just preserve photographs, you’ll reclaim the history they were meant to carry forward.

The many knolls of the historic grounds offer sweeping views of the Shawangunk Mountains to the West, and the Catskill Mountains to the distant North. Eastward could be traced the Hudson River and the line of Green Mountains with their most commanding summits. To the South, a charming pastoral view of the Wallkill Valley, where situated lie the many dairy farms of Orange County.

The cemetery is noted for its connections to local Civil War-era history and prominent regional figures. Among those interred is Charles H. Winfield (1822–1888), a respected lawyer, district attorney, and United States Congressman, who died suddenly after collapsing while addressing a group of children from the pulpit of the Reformed Church in Walden. Also laid to rest at Wallkill Valley Cemetery is Samuel E. Wright (1946–2021), who’s recognized for providing the voiceover of Sebastian in Disney’s “The Little Mermaid.” Today, Wallkill Valley Cemetery is managed by a Superintendent and a Board of Trustees, who oversee the grounds, help raise money for improvements, such as new trees, shrubs, and roadways.

At the time of its establishment, many members of the cemetery’s original board were Freemasons of Wallkill Lodge No. 627, F. & A.M. In the years that followed, the following Masons served with distinction as officers and trustees of the cemetery.

• Brother Thomas W. Bradley (1844-1920), President of the New York Knife Company, President of the Walden National Bank, and a United States Congressman, became a Freemason in 1871, and served as a Trustee of the Cemetery.
• Brother Albert S. Embler (1870-1941), an attorney, Director of the Wallkill Valley Farmers Association, Secretary of the Walden Board of Education, and President of the Walden Savings Bank, joined Wallkill Lodge in 1899 and served the Cemetery as its Secretary.
• Brother Irving H. Loughran (1855-1911), an attorney and the Secretary and Director of Walden’s Schrade Cutlery Company, was raised to Master Mason in 1887 and served as Secretary of the Cemetery.
• Brother Joseph Rowland (1849-1912), Vice President of the New York Knife Company and a Director of the Walden Savings Bank, joined the Craft in 1874 and is likewise recorded as a Trustee of the Cemetery.
• Brother Hiram B. Wooster (1851-1925), owner and operator of Walden’s garment-manufacturing business, the Wooster Manufacturing Company, became a Freemason in 1900 and later served the Cemetery as both Treasurer and Trustee.

Today, Wallkill Valley Cemetery stands as the final resting place of more than forty members of Wallkill Lodge No. 627, their lives and legacies marked by the imposing monuments that rise among its paths. Among them are Brother Alexander Kirk Rider (1820–1893), the accomplished inventor of the historic hot-air engine model, and Brother John Chamber Scofield (1831–1890), who served as President of the Village of Walden in 1880 and later as Director of the Wallkill Valley Railroad. Together, their memorials, like so many others here, quietly testify to the Masonic Lodge’s lasting influence on the civic, industrial, and fraternal life of the Wallkill Valley.