Arizona Fraternal Lodges

About Fraternal Organizations in Arizona

A deep look at the history, oldest lodges, membership process, and notable members of fraternal organizations across Arizona.

History of Fraternal Organizations in Arizona

Arizona's fraternal heritage runs from the territorial mining camps of the 1880s through the postwar Sun Belt boom that transformed Phoenix and Tucson into major American metropolises. Independent Order of Odd Fellows lodges were among the first fraternal bodies organized in Arizona Territory, with Tucson IOOF Lodge No. 4 chartered in 1879 and Prescott IOOF Lodge No. 1 organized shortly thereafter — both predating Arizona statehood by more than three decades.

The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks reached the territory before the turn of the twentieth century: Tucson Elks Lodge No. 385 was chartered on June 15, 1898, and Phoenix Elks Lodge No. 335 was chartered on January 4, 1898, making them among the earliest Elks lodges in the American Southwest. Both lodges emerged from the booming silver and copper economies of the territory and counted mining executives, railroad officials, ranchers, and territorial politicians among their charter members.

Bisbee Elks Lodge No. 671, Globe Elks Lodge No. 489, Jerome Elks Lodge No. 1361, and Prescott Elks Lodge No.

330 followed in the early 1900s, anchoring fraternal life in the copper-belt towns that defined territorial Arizona. The Loyal Order of Moose arrived through Phoenix Moose Lodge No. 514 in the 1910s, and the Fraternal Order of Eagles reached Arizona via railroad workers and miners, with Eagles aeries in Globe, Bisbee, and Phoenix taking root before 1920. The Knights of Columbus established Arizona presence early through the Catholic Hispanic communities of southern Arizona; Tucson Council No.

1200 was chartered in 1907, and the order spread quickly through the Diocese of Tucson, which then encompassed all of Arizona. Sons of Italy, while not strictly classified among the orders covered by FraternalFinder, established a notable Arizona presence in copper-mining communities populated by Italian immigrants, particularly in Globe-Miami and the Verde Valley. Statehood in 1912 produced no immediate fraternal upheaval — most lodges simply continued their territorial traditions — but the post-World War II population explosion that quadrupled Arizona's population between 1950 and 1980 produced enormous fraternal growth in Phoenix, Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale, and Tucson, with new lodges chartered constantly to serve newly arrived retirees, defense-industry workers, and Sun Belt families.

Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks in Arizona

The Arizona Elks Association governs the state's BPOE activity and oversees roughly 50 active lodges. Tucson Elks Lodge No. 385 is the oldest Elks lodge in Arizona and one of the most historically significant fraternal bodies in the Southwest. Its 1898 charter places it among the earliest Elks lodges west of the Mississippi, and its membership has historically included mining executives, ranchers, University of Arizona officials, and Pima County political leaders.

Phoenix Elks Lodge No. 335, chartered the same year, has likewise served the political and business class of Maricopa County and has continuously occupied a downtown clubhouse for over a century. Other significant Arizona Elks lodges include Mesa Elks Lodge No. 2353, Scottsdale Elks Lodge No.

2148, Sun City Elks Lodge No. 2559 (which serves the largest retirement community in Arizona), Flagstaff Elks Lodge No. 499, Yuma Elks Lodge No. 476, Prescott Elks Lodge No.

330, Bisbee Elks Lodge No. 671, Sierra Vista Elks Lodge No. 2065, Lake Havasu City Elks Lodge No. 2399, and Kingman Elks Lodge No.

468. The Arizona Elks Major Project supports the Arizona Elks Pediatric Therapy and Rehabilitation Program, which provides occupational, physical, and speech therapy to children with disabilities through grants distributed by lodge committees. The state association also funds Most Valuable Student scholarships, the Hoop Shoot free-throw contest, and substantial veterans' programming including Christmas gifts for veterans at the Phoenix and Tucson VA hospitals. Arizona Elks have historically been generous donors to the Elks National Foundation and consistently rank among the top per-capita giving states in the order.

Loyal Order of Moose in Arizona

The Loyal Order of Moose in Arizona is overseen by the Arizona Moose Association and includes approximately 32 lodges. Phoenix Moose Lodge No. 514, chartered in 1913, was the first Moose lodge in Arizona Territory and remains active in central Phoenix. Other long-standing Arizona Moose lodges include Tucson Moose Lodge No.

1116, Mesa Moose Lodge No. 1944, Yuma Moose Lodge No. 533, Flagstaff Moose Lodge No. 1531, Prescott Moose Lodge No.

1078, Apache Junction Moose Lodge No. 2245, Sun City Moose Lodge No. 1999, and Lake Havasu Moose Lodge No. 2237.

Arizona's Moose membership reflects the state's distinctive demographics, with substantial retiree participation in lodges serving Sun City, Apache Junction, Lake Havasu, and the Verde Valley. Each Arizona Moose lodge contributes per-member dues to Mooseheart in Illinois and to Moosehaven in Florida, and many Arizona Moose make pilgrimages to both flagship facilities, particularly Moosehaven, which serves as a popular winter destination for Arizona snowbirds. The Women of the Moose chapters across Arizona operate extensive parallel programs, including school-supply drives for low-income Arizona school districts, holiday meal distributions to families on the Navajo and Tohono O'odham reservations, and youth scholarship programs. Tucson and Phoenix Moose lodges have historically been major fundraisers for Mooseheart specifically, and several Arizona-based Moose members have served on the Mooseheart national board.

Eagles, Knights of Columbus & Other Fraternal Orders in Arizona

The Fraternal Order of Eagles operates approximately 28 aeries in Arizona, anchored by Phoenix Aerie No. 2957, Tucson Aerie No. 180, Mesa Aerie No. 4150, Yuma Aerie No.

4225, and Flagstaff Aerie No. 4012. The Eagles' historical advocacy for Mother's Day, Social Security, and workers' compensation laws is a prominent feature of Arizona aerie literature, and the Eagles' national charity for diabetes, cancer, and kidney research receives steady support. The Knights of Columbus are particularly strong in Arizona owing to the substantial Catholic Hispanic population.

The Arizona State Council oversees approximately 180 councils across the Diocese of Tucson and the Diocese of Phoenix, with combined membership exceeding 22,000. Tucson Council No. 1200, chartered in 1907, is the oldest in the state, while Phoenix Council No. 1108 anchors the Maricopa County Catholic community.

Other major Arizona KC councils include Mesa Council No. 4423, Scottsdale Council No. 4317, Sun City Council No. 5763, Yuma Council No.

1561, and Flagstaff Council No. 9912. The Arizona Knights have long supported the U.S.-Mexico border missions of both dioceses, including ministries to migrant workers, indigenous Catholic communities, and seminarian formation. Arizona KCs also raise substantial funds for Special Olympics Arizona through the annual Tootsie Roll Drive and have funded multiple ultrasound machines for pregnancy resource centers across the state.

The Independent Order of Odd Fellows retains a small Arizona footprint with subordinate lodges in Tucson, Phoenix, Prescott, and a handful of smaller communities, though IOOF membership has declined considerably from its early-twentieth-century peak.

Arizona Fraternal Lodges by the Numbers

Arizona's fraternal community is among the largest in the Mountain West, reflecting both the state's population growth and its retiree-heavy demographics. The state hosts approximately 50 BPOE Elks lodges with combined membership of roughly 25,000 to 30,000, ranking Arizona consistently in the top 10 states for total Elks membership. The Loyal Order of Moose operates approximately 32 lodges with combined male and female membership of 18,000 to 22,000. The Knights of Columbus maintain about 180 councils across the Diocese of Phoenix and Diocese of Tucson, with combined membership exceeding 22,000.

The Fraternal Order of Eagles operates approximately 28 aeries with about 8,000 members. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows retains roughly 10 active lodges. Geographic concentration is striking: Maricopa County (Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Tempe, Glendale, Sun City) hosts roughly 50 percent of all Arizona fraternal lodges, while Pima County (Tucson) holds another 15 percent. The remaining lodges are distributed across Yavapai, Mohave, Yuma, Coconino, Navajo, and Cochise counties.

How to Join a Fraternal Lodge in Arizona

Joining a fraternal lodge in Arizona follows national procedures with a few state-specific notes. Arizona Elks (BPOE) require U.S. citizenship, age 21 or older, good character, and belief in God; sponsorship by an existing member is required, and most lodges require a second seconder. Annual dues at Arizona Elks lodges typically range from $100 to $250, with initiation fees of $50 to $200.

Many Arizona Elks lodges in retirement-heavy communities such as Sun City, Lake Havasu, and Apache Junction offer reduced dues for snowbird members who reside in the state for only part of the year. The Loyal Order of Moose in Arizona requires age 21 or older and good character; dues run $40 to $80 annually. Knights of Columbus membership in Arizona is open to practical Catholic men aged 18 and older — applicants complete a Form 100 obtained through their parish and are inducted at a brief ceremony; Arizona KC dues typically run $30 to $55 annually. The Fraternal Order of Eagles admits men 21 or older with belief in a Supreme Being; Arizona aerie dues run $40 to $70.

Many Arizona lodges actively recruit through community events, swap-meet booths, and partnerships with local newcomer clubs, which is particularly important given the state's high in-migration rate.

Notable Arizona Fraternal Members in History

Arizona's fraternal rolls include several historically prominent members. Barry Goldwater, the Phoenix-born U.S. Senator and 1964 Republican presidential nominee, was a member of Phoenix Elks Lodge No. 335 and frequently spoke at Arizona Elks state conventions.

Carl Hayden, who served Arizona in the U.S. House and Senate for 56 consecutive years, was an honorary member of Phoenix Elks Lodge No. 335 and Tucson Elks Lodge No. 385.

Mo Udall, the longtime Tucson congressman and 1976 presidential candidate, was associated with Tucson Elks Lodge No. 385. Sandra Day O'Connor, who grew up on the Lazy B Ranch on the Arizona-New Mexico border before becoming the first woman on the U.S. Supreme Court, attended Knights of Columbus events as a guest given her family's deep Catholic and ranching roots in southern Arizona.

Phoenix Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill maintained ties to Phoenix-area Elks lodges through team community events. In country music, Marty Robbins of Glendale was an honorary member of the Phoenix Elks during his career, and his songs about Arizona were frequently performed at lodge functions. More recently, U.S. Senator John McCain was an honorary member of multiple Arizona Elks lodges and a frequent honoree at Arizona Elks veterans' events given his Navy service.

Bishop Thomas Olmsted of the Diocese of Phoenix has been a strong supporter of the Knights of Columbus throughout his episcopate.

Frequently Asked Questions: Arizona Fraternal Lodges

Sources & Further Reading

• https://www.elks.org/lodges/
• https://www.mooseintl.org/
• https://www.foe.com/
• https://www.kofc.org/en/who-we-are/our-history/
• https://www.azelks.org/
• https://dphx.org/