History of Placerville Gathering Place

Historic Placerville Masonic Lodge

The Placerville Gathering Place has a rich history rooted in community and tradition. Originally home to Placerville Masonic Lodge, the building was constructed in 1981 when the Masons relocated from their Main Street location due to the need for major upgrades. Rather than renovating their old space, they opted to build a modern, 14,000 sq. ft. steel-frame building with two separate floors where they could lease out one floor and use the other for their club needs.

Over the years, the lower floor has been home to various organizations, including PG&E and Sheriff D’Agostini’s office, while the upper level served as a gathering place for Masonic meetings and special events. My personal connection to Masonic Lodge runs deep—my grandfather, Ossie Scariot, and his friends, fondly known as The Three Italians, hosted annual Halloween dinners and costume contests for M.O.R.E. Workshop clients. These events marked my first introduction to the world of event planning.

As I grew older, my love for special events and weddings only grew stronger. I gained experience working in hotels, coordinating nonprofit community walks for the National MS Society, assisting on cook crews for events on the Rubicon Trail, and planning my company’s golf tournaments benefiting children’s charities across the U.S. I’ve also been the go-to wedding planner for many friends and worked as an on-site wedding coordinator at a local Placerville venue. It’s safe to say—I fell in love with weddings and event planning.

Owning my own event venue has always been a dream. In February 2023, that dream became a reality when I had acquired this building. The next eight months were spent cleaning, planning, and envisioning the space’s future. In November 2023, renovations began—a process that was both challenging and deeply emotional and took way longer then expected. I poured my heart, soul, and life savings into transforming this venue into a place that is welcoming, sophisticated, and versatile.

Today, Placerville Gathering Place stands as a testament to perseverance, passion, and community spirit. It is a space where memories are made, milestones are celebrated, and traditions continue—a place that truly reflects the heart and soul of Placerville. To view pictures of the space fully renovated please check out our venue gallery.

I would like to mention that Placerville Masonic Lodge #26 is not closed their chapter was looking for a smaller less complicated building to move to. When I purchased the property they were in the process of renting their original location on Main Street in Placerville.

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Photos of the building when I purchased it in February 2023