The Order of DeMolay was founded in 1919 in Kansas City, Missouri by Frank S. Land. His intention was to create a club for young men to learn life and leadership skills. With World War I raging in Europe, many of these young men had no father at home, and Frank Land became a kind of guide and father figure for them. He was awarded the honorary title of "Dad" by the first group of DeMolays, a title which has since been passed on to every Advisor of a DeMolay Chapter.

The boys struggled to come up with a name for their new organization until someone suggested it be named after Jacques DeMolay, the last Grand Master of the medieval Knights Templar (more info at www.templarhistory.com). After listening to the story of Jacques DeMolay's torture and ultimate death for steadfastly refusing to reveal the location of his hidden brother Knights and their vast wealth to the evil king of France, the boys decided to name their club the "Order of DeMolay." Each new member takes an oath to live up to Jacques DeMolay's ideals of honesty, loyalty and brotherhood.

Since 1919, the Order of DeMolay has seen millions of members take this pledge in Chapters that have spread to all fifty states and several countries. Young men from all walks of life have benefited from membership in DeMolay. Our ranks have been honored by such notable names as: John Wayne, Walt Disney, Walter Cronkite, Dan Rather, John Steinbeck, Bill Bradley, President Bill Clinton and many more (see www.demolay.org for a complete Hall of Fame).