Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 12/14/1982
NRHP Listing Date 02/10/1983
NRHP Reference Number 83003305
Richmond’s Masonic Temple, designed by Baltimore architect Jackson T. Gott and erected in 1888-93, is a brick-and brownstone extravaganza of the American Romanesque Revival, a style made fashionable by Boston architect H. H. Richardson. The weighty edifice, with its mass countered by a large corner tower, delicate corner bartizans, and a multiplicity of windows, was the largest building put up by Virginia Masons by that time and brought a big-city quality to Broad Street. In addition to the Masonic meeting rooms, the building accommodated a department store and cultural facilities. Its main reception room provided a grand setting for many balls, concerts, and banquets, most notably a banquet held for President Theodore Roosevelt in 1905. Abandoned by the Masons for a number of years, the building has since been restored for mixed use.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: July 7, 2021
