The Scottish Rite of Freemasonry was first brought to the New World from France in the year 1763. Bro. Stephen Morin of Bordeaux established the 25 Masonic Degrees of the "Rite of Perfection" in the British West Indies.

He had been granted a patent, by Masonic authorities in Paris, appointing him the "Grand Inspector in all parts of the New World", which empowered Bro. Morin to found Lodges in North and South America.

In 1767 Stephen Morin's close associate Henry Francken transported this new Masonic Rite to Albany, New York, where he formed the first Ineffable Grand Lodge of Perfection in North America, with civil engineer Bro. William Gamble serving as its first master. The following year, the first Grand Council of Princes of Jerusalem was organized here. These lodges were the forerunners of what was to become the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite in the United States (and Canada). Thus, the Valley of Albany is the oldest valley in the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction, and the second oldest valley in the United States.

The Albany Masonic Temple, located at 67 Corning Place, Albany, NY 12207, is the home of the Valley of Albany. The temple stands within sight of the New York State Capitol building. On February 28, 1929, then Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt received The Scottish Rite Degrees here.

The Albany Temple is built on the same site, where, on May 12th, 1768, the cornerstone was laid for the first lodge house built and owned by a Masonic lodge (Master's Lodge No.5) in North America.

Since that time, this property has remained continuously vested in the hands of the Masonic Fraternity, the oldest such property known to exist in the world.

The image to the right is from a post card dating from 1899.