The Homestead Borough was an ideal place for the steel industry to take root. By the 1920’s, over 20,000 people lived and worked in the area which had become the meeting and gathering place for the Steel Valley. The steel mills disappeared after World War II, but the heart of Homestead continued beating. The Waterfront shopping plaza has transformed the industrial space into a vibrant retail district attracting visitors from all around the region. Across from the shops, walkers, runners and bikers are able to enjoy miles of green space along the Great Allegheny Passage Bike Trail. Homestead’s growth continues as local businesses discover the historical beauty of Homestead; artists discover inspiring spaces, visitors frequent our restaurants, and residents maintain that friendly, close-knit feeling. Source: Homestead Borough Website The Homestead Masonic Hall was built in 1917 by established freemasons of the area. Freemasonry evolved from the stonecutter guilds that existed in England from the Middle Ages. These Enlightenment-era societies gathered in "lodges" and referred to themselves as Freemasons to denote the importance of free will. Modern Freemasonry still exists with two main recognition groups: Traditional and Continental. Traditional Freemasonry requires scripture be on display at every lodge, bars discussion of politics or religion, does not allow women, and requires all members to profess belief in one Supreme Being. Continental Freemasonry refers to jurisdictions that have removed some, or all, of those restrictions. Source: The Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia