127-0296 The Masonic Temple

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.

[Photo credit: Calder Loth, 2021]

Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark

Updated: March 16, 2021