While the Paradise Park Masonic Club might not be considered exactly a "concordant body of Masonry", it does require membership as either a Master Mason or in the Order of the Eastern Star. Paradise Park is a private club, and before you can be considered for membership, you must demonstrate membership in one of those organizations. And once a member of the club, you must maintain your affiliation as either a Master Mason or Eastern Star.
Paradise Park Masonic Club came into being through a very fortunate chain of circum stances. Living in the Fresno area in the year 1924 were Luther M. Say and his wife Diantha L. Say. He, being a Mason of fraternal spirit, thought it would be an exciting venture to purchase a tract of land for recreational use near the resort community of Santa Cruz where he and his Masonic friends could bring their families for summers of camping as well as for week ends and holidays throughout the year.
Searching about for such a site he found several possible locations from which to choose, among them being the beautiful section where the Pasatiempo development now stands, an area on West Clif Drive near Lighthouse Point and the holdings of the former California Powder Works which, by then, belonged to the Hercules Powder Company. The latter acreage lay along the San Lorenzo River about a mile and a half north of the city of Santa Cruz .
To help them make a wise choice, the Says brought a group of their friends to Santa Cruz to view the locations that were under consideration and to indicate their preference. Included in this number was a lady dear to the memory of many and known to us as Carlotta B. Scott. After a day of “site-seeing” the Fresno delegation followed the winding course of the San Lorenzo River via the Big Tree Road until they entered the environs owned by the Hercules Powder Company where in former years lumber, pa per and explosives had been manufactured.
Looking about at the towering redwoods, the ferns, shrubs and other lush greenery; and hearing the song of the clear, winding stream Carlotta exclaimed, “Oh, this is Paradise !“ And from that time forward the site was so designated.