Masonic Temples

[ZachariahDaMan]

I made this thread to post any pictures you have of Masonic Temples.

Flint, Michigan

[TBurban]

Very good thread idea. Flints looks gorgeous!

Alexandria, Virginia's Masonic Temple (the tallest building on the far right as seen in the skyline)

[RustTown]

Lansing's is now a classroom building for Cooley Law School, the nation's largest law school. It's very hard to fully photograph, and these photos aren't my best:

Entrance

Mural (destroyed by a storm in 2005)

Full View

Top

It's a big, old thing, and as Cooley keeps moving their classes to the high-rise Cooley Center just a block away, what will become of the building is unknown at the moment.

Lansing's first Masonic Temple

[Lone Ranger]

Alexandria, Virginia's Masonic Temple (the tallest building on the far right as seen in the skyline)

OK, now that's a building that definitely deserves a more detailed picture that that. I'd never seen that before. It's great.

None of these are mine, just images I picked up after a web search. Sorry about the size of the first one:

As an aside, I hadn't realized how characteristic a style of architecture the Masons used for their buildings.

I can't seem to find any good pictures of the Masonic Temple in Providence. Probably because there aren't going to be a whole lot of good pictures of a building that sat abandoned for about 75 years, give or take. When built, it was intended to be the Mason's national HQ, but Providence fell on hard times. Currently, the building is in the advanced stages of a long-awaited renovation (into a hotel).

It looks ... well, judging from this thread, it looks very much like a Masonic Temple.

[dimebag1980]

Here are a few photos I took a few months back of the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Shreveport...

The main lobby

Beautifully detailed coffered ceiling

Dining hall

Auditorium

Auditorium stage

A little bit of the exterior

Sorry the quality stinks. These were taken months ago before I bought my DSLR camera. I'll have to go back down there and take pictures again.

Here are a couple of photos of the exterior I found at this website.

[ctman987]

The former Masonic Temple in Providence, RI

[Lone Ranger]

Sorry the quality stinks.

No they're not at all, who are you kidding? That too is a building to fall in love with. Gorgeous. Feel free to bring us some more pictures of it, though.

Yup, ctman, that's the Temple in Providence. I was trying not to show them that!

But wait three months, it'll be worth looking at by then.

[Cotuit]

Here's some more of the Masonic Temple in Providence:

[March '05] For the longest time it had this "Temple of Junerism" tag on it, and some of us still enjoy calling it that. It's been inhabited mostly by homeless people and kids looking for a place to screw around for the last 70-something years.

[March '05] The inside of the building was totally removed and a skeleton was erected to keep the facade up.

[April '05] From Prospect Park sitting next to the Rhode Island State House.

[July '06] From the roof of the Providence Place parking garage, with the Rhode Island State House beside it.

[July '06] From Station Park, with Providence Place at the left, the State House is out of frame on the right.

There's a thread about the Providence Masonic Temple here.

Here's a cool photo of when it was gutted, from the developer.

In the foreground is the Veteran's Memorial Auditorium, to the right is Providence Place, the park at the top is the front lawn of the Rhode Island State House.

[Sean Reynolds]

Salt Lake's original Masonic Temple:

This is the one in use today:

[TheGerbil]

I don't have any of my own pics of it, but here is a Googled photo of the masonic temple in Pittsburgh. Incidently, this building now belongs to the University of Pittsburgh and is used for classes and offices.

[Recchia]

This is probably a stupid question, but what the hell are masonic temples anyway? I've always just pretended like I knew before...

[TheBostonian]

This is probably a stupid question, but what the hell are masonic temples anyway? I've always just pretended like I knew before...

They house local chapters of a cult that secretly controls everything. Or is that the Stone Cutters on the Simpsons?

[RustTown]

They are a fraternal order.

Detroit Masonic Temple, supposedly the largest masonic temple in the world by size at 850,000 square feet and rising 210 feet tall. The complex includes a 14-story Ritual Tower, a 10-story Shrine Club Tower, both connected by a 7-story auditorium/theater which seats 4,404 and which is currently used for large concerts. The thing has its own power plant, which at the time of its completion, could generate enough power to power 50,000 homes.

Backside

[dtown]

Traverse City, Michigan

[ZachariahDaMan]

Farmington, MI

Here is what the historical marker near it says:

"FARMINGTON MASONIC HALL and FARMINGTON TOWNSHIP HALL

The building was constructed in 1876 by the Township of Farmington and the Farmington Masonic Lodge No. 151. The Township government occupied the first floor of the building until 1963 when a new Township facility was constructed. The Masonic Lodge has continued to occupy the building since its opening. The structure is a fine example of Victorian and French Renaissance architecture, making it one of Oakland County's most attractive historical buildings."

[wrldcoupe4]

Here's one in Richmond on Broad St...it's now called the Renaissance Conference Center:

Masonic Lodge in Shockoe Bottom:

[skylinefan]

Scottish Rite, Washington, DC.

[PCGrad02]

Here is the Masonic Temple in Norwich, Conn. It is currently being torn down due to the fact that it was built on an Indian burial ground 78 years ago. The Mohegan Tribe will restore the burial ground and turn it into a memorial.

[ZachariahDaMan]

Adrian, MI

Clinton, MI

Fowlerville, MI

Petersburg, MI

Plymouth, MI- This building was demolished this year for new development, it had been standing there since 1925.

Sylvania, OH

[Cotuit]

Here's some more recent photos of the Masonic Temple in Providence, soon to be the Providence Renaisance Marriott Hotel:

Masonic Temple left, Veterans Memorial Auditorium (VMA) right

Masonic Temple forground, VMA background

View down Francis Street towards Downcity, State House is to the left

[suburban george3]

Ours here in Winston-Salem currently is nowhere near as nice as those posted... I'm researching to see if any older buildings were used before this location.

Our "Industrial" looking Masonic Temple sandwiched between Miller St. and Stratford Rd.

[Cotuit]

The New York Times recently did a story on Providence's Masonic Temple in their real estate section:

Empty for 75 Years, and Now a Symbol of Rebirth [The New York Times]

[stellar]

Here's one in the Carondelet neighborhood of St. Louis built in 1907 that is about to be torn down to make room for a parking lot for the neighboring library. It was used as a meeting place until 1978.

side and rear view

[ZachariahDaMan]

Pontiac, MI

[suburban george3]

Washington, PA (Washington County)