OUR HISTORY

Acacia was founded in 1904 at the University of Michigan by fourteen Master Freemasons. Since our founding, more than ninety chapters have been chartered across North America, from Louisiana to Ontario, from Berkeley to Cornell. Today, over forty thriving chapters can be found coast-to-coast, and to the north in Canada. Total membership has surpassed 50,000 Brothers worldwide, with the highest concentration of chapters and alumnus in the Midwestern United States. Today, Acacia maintains a spiritual connection with Masonry, and it is the choice of the brother to pursue that pathway of their own accord.

OUR DEEP ROOTS AT CARLETON UNIVERSITY

The founding of the Carleton Chapter of Acacia Fraternity took place during the summer of 1987 when Doug Wotherspoon, a founding father of the ACACIA Chapter at the University of Western Ontario, approached friends about the idea of starting a fraternity at Carleton University. The idea was well received by National Headquarters and enabled Doug Wotherspoon and Perry Delleice, to join together to help educate twenty eight young men.

Once colony status was obtained from National Headquarters, Doug Perry and Executive Director Darold Larson, pledged twenty-eight young Acacians on November 17, 1987 and the first Executive Council of the colony was appointed.

The Carleton Chapter of Acacia Fraternity was chartered February 11th, 1989 and was Ottawa’s first Fraternity.  In keeping with the Acacia spirit, the Carleton Chapter began its human service by raising funds for various different endeavours. Today, the Carleton Chapter has initiated over 400 young men and has been an active participant on the Carleton campus and in the local Ottawa community.

OUR ALUMNI

Our alumni have always played an integral role in our fraternity’s success. It is because of them, we have come so far as an organization. Some of these men include:

International Alumni

• Clifton K. Hillegass – Creator of Cliffnotes
• David P. Osbourne – performed the autopsy of JFK.
• Hiram Bingham III – Discovered Machu Picchu and US Senator
• Mark Edward Smith – Actor/singer who toured with Sting in the 90s and is currently a member of the LA Master Chorale.
• William Howard Taft – 27th President of the United States of America
• Harold Eugene Edgerton – Inventor of the Strobe Light

Local Alumni

For the Men of Acacia, success isn’t only on the international level, but also at the local level:

• The current Mayor of Ottawa, Jim Watson, is an honorary member.
• Guy Rubino, successfully opened a restaurant in Toronto and starred in his own Food Network TV show, “Made to Order”!
• One of our Founding Fathers, Cameron Herold, helped build 1-800-GOT-JUNK into a multimillion dollar company.
• Justin Kaplan, currently the International Second Vice President at Acacia Fraternity Headquarters