Secret societies have been part of American life since before the nation’s founding. These private groups continue to operate today, hidden in plain sight across college campuses, city halls, and exclusive neighborhoods. While many people think secret societies died out long ago, their influence remains strong in modern America — they just do a better job of staying out of the spotlight.
Behind closed doors, these organizations bring together some of the most powerful and influential people in business, politics, and society. Their meetings happen in unmarked buildings, member lists stay private, and their real activities often differ from their public image. Many of these groups started centuries ago but have adapted to modern times while keeping their core traditions and selective membership practices alive.
Skull and Bones
This Yale University society selects only 15 new members each year from the senior class. Their windowless headquarters, known as “The Tomb,” sits in the heart of Yale’s campus and holds weekly meetings completely hidden from public view. Multiple U.S. Presidents, Supreme Court Justices, and business leaders count themselves as members of this highly selective group. The society maintains strict secrecy about its rituals and activities, though its influence in American politics and business is well documented.
The Order of the First Families of Virginia
This exclusive society consists of members who can prove their ancestors were among Virginia’s first English settlers before 1701. They hold private gatherings at historic plantations and colonial mansions, celebrating their shared heritage and maintaining colonial-era traditions. The society helps preserve historic documents and properties while keeping detailed genealogical records of America’s earliest European families. Their membership list includes some of the most prominent names in Southern society and politics.
Flat Hat Club
Operating at the College of William and Mary since 1750, this society is one of America’s oldest student organizations. Their traditions influenced the development of later Greek letter fraternities and academic honor societies. The club maintains strict secrecy about its current activities while preserving its historical meeting spaces on campus. Thomas Jefferson’s membership in this group helped establish its long-lasting connection to American political life.
The Society of the Cincinnati
Formed by Revolutionary War officers in 1783, this society continues to pass membership down through family lines. Their headquarters in Washington DC houses one of America’s finest collections of Revolutionary War artifacts and documents. The society maintains active chapters in all thirteen original colonies and France, preserving ties between these historical allies. They influence modern military policy while keeping their exact membership numbers private.
Bohemian Club
This San Francisco-based group hosts powerful men at their secretive 2,700-acre Bohemian Grove retreat in Northern California. Members have included multiple U.S. presidents, business leaders, and influential artists who gather for private summer ceremonies. The club’s famous Cremation of Care ritual remains one of America’s most mysterious private ceremonies. Their massive redwood property stays heavily guarded year-round, protecting members’ privacy.
Seven Society
This University of Virginia group reveals its presence only through the number ‘7’ appearing mysteriously around campus. Members’ identities remain secret until after their death when the society publicly acknowledges their service. The group donates large sums of money to university causes, always in amounts containing the number seven. Their influence extends beyond graduation, connecting powerful alumni throughout their careers.
Alfalfa Club
This Washington DC society meets just once yearly for a private dinner celebrating Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s birthday. The club counts Supreme Court justices, presidents, and business leaders among its invitation-only membership. Their annual dinner serves as an unofficial gathering of America’s political and business elite. The society maintains strict privacy about its current activities while occasionally releasing historical records.
Order of the Golden Fleece
This University of North Carolina society selects only the most influential students across all disciplines. Their private ceremonies combine ancient Greek mythology with modern leadership principles. The society maintains strict secrecy about its selection process while visibly tapping new members each spring. Their network includes some of the most powerful names in Southern politics and business.
Sphinx Head Society
Cornell University’s oldest secret society selects members based on their campus leadership and future potential. Their private ceremonies take place in an underground tomb specially built for society meetings. The group maintains strong connections to international business and diplomatic services. Their influence extends through multiple generations of powerful alumni in government and industry.
Scroll and Key
Yale’s second-oldest secret society selects 16 new members annually from the junior class. Their elaborate Gothic headquarters conceals regular meetings and ceremonies throughout the academic year. The society maintains strong connections to America’s intelligence services and diplomatic corps. Their influence extends globally through an extensive network of powerful alumni.
Quill and Dagger
Cornell University’s senior society draws membership from student leaders and notable athletes. Their private ceremonies take place in a tower room of the campus clock tower. The society maintains strong connections to military leadership and government service. Members identify each other through subtle symbols and gestures while keeping their activities private.
Order of Gimghoul
This University of North Carolina society operates from a private castle built specifically for their meetings. Their rituals center around a nineteenth-century ghost story involving a student’s mysterious death. The society owns significant property around Chapel Hill while keeping its modern activities secret. Their influence extends into state politics and business through generations of powerful alumni.
Military and Hospitaller Order of Saint Lazarus
This ancient religious order maintains active chapters across America while keeping their true numbers private. Members include prominent religious leaders, military officers, and healthcare professionals. The order performs charitable work while maintaining medieval traditions and ceremonies. Their influence extends into medical policy and military chaplain services.
The Improved Order of Red Men
This society traces its roots to the groups that organized the Boston Tea Party. They maintain lodges across America while keeping their current membership numbers private. The order preserves Native American-inspired rituals while adapting them to modern charitable work. Their influence continues in local politics and community organizations across the country.
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