This site is the future home of information about the Odd Fellows Cave Degree in beautiful Grenada, California. Watch this space for updates and registration information.
Since 1940, the site known as the Pyhtian Cave, in honor of the Knights of Pythias who first used it for their degree work, has been holding Odd Fellows degree rituals. While long maintained by the brothers and sisters of Yreka 19, the cave is now under the care of the California Grand Lodge, in order to ensure it continues for the next 100 years. However, the partnership with Yreka 19 remains strong and essential in its continued operation.
Important Dates:
- Sunday, July 7th – Formal Dedication Ceremony
In honor of the immense restoration work that has been conducted, the cave will officially be given a formal designation as an historic lodge under the umbrella of the California Grand Lodge, as the Odd Fellows perform the ceremony we use whenever a new lodge building is constructed. - August 17-18 – All degree weekend
On the morning of Saturday, August 17th, the initiatory degree will be conferred at Yreka 19, followed by lunch, and then the first degree. Towards evening, the candidates and degree team will head to the Cave for the traditional conferring of the second degree, just as the moon rises over Mount Shasta to the southeast, just as it has for more than 80 years. On Sunday morning, the third degree will be conferred back at Yreka 19. - September 14-15 – All degree weekend plus encampment degree
This will be the same as August 17-18, except that on Sunday, after the third degree, those candidates who seek to join the encampment and have been elected to membership, will be brought back up to the cave to receive the Patriarchal degree.
At this time, donations to the cave degree cannot be accepted online, but we would gratefully accept them. You may make a check payable to the Grand Lodge of California, with “cave fund” written in the memo field. Mail it to:
CA IOOF Grand Lodge
122 Race St
San Jose, CA
95126