Springfield's Masonic Temple is located on State Street which has been a major east-west thoroughfare in the city since its founding in the early 17th century. It stands on a Sloping site north-east of and above the Downtown Multiple Resource Area (NR-1983) and faces the Springfield National Armory (NHS-1974). Easily one of the most impressive public monuments constrücted in the city of Springfield during the 1920's, the Masonic Temple is notable for its monumental exterior and impressive interior spaces. It was dedicated on February 15, 1926, after nearly two and a half years of construction. Built at a cost of $1,000,000 by the A.E. Stephens Co., the Temple was designed by McClintock & Craig. The Masonic Temple has a frontage of 116 feet on State Street, a depth of 180 feet, and is 102 feet in height at its highest point.
It is of steel frame construction with reinforced concrete floors and roof. The facade is composed of Indiana limestone with terra cotta trim; the side walls are faced with gray brick and trimmed with limestone and terra cotta, and the rear wall is composed of red brick. Neo-Classical in tone, the building's facade also features a variety of esoteric symbols and Egyptian detailing favored by masons. The first story of the Temple, which is treated as a raised basement, is finished off with a cavetto moulding and paneled cornice. The main entrance is centrally located and reached by two short flights of stairs. It is flanked by smooth-faced, tapered piers and capped by a cavetto cornice. A bronze panel with the inscription "Masonic Temple" and a bronze grill decorate the entrance. The original bronze doors have been replaced by shorter glass doors, and a glass transom.
Iwo, one-story pavilions with low-pitched, hipped, metal roofs flank the entrance and extend twenty feet towards State Street. Their rooflines are finished off with antefixae. The western pavilion has an entrance on its western side. Due to the slope of State Street this entrance serves the basement of the Temple. This entrance is similar in design to the main entrance and is flanked by two lanterns. Above the basement cornice is a two-story colonnade set between two, broad pylons, supporting an entablature. The four columns that make up the colonnade are reputed to be replicas of those from the temple of KomOmbo, "an example of late Egyptian architecture." The central ornament behind the colonnade consists of a large panel with the square and compass, gold triangle, polychrome Maltese Cross, and an "Assyrian" double eagle in gray stone.
Narrow fixed windows are set within recessed panels on these two stories. The entablature is composed of a frieze with inscriptions, and a cavetto cornice decorated with vertical leaves. The frieze has three recessed panels: a central one over the colonnade, and two smaller flanking panels. The flanking panels are inscribed "A.L. 5924" and "A.D. 1924" , while the central panel has a Latin inscription: "Aedificatum Ut Lux Splendesceret" (Erected That Light Might Become Brighter). Extending above the main cornice is a parapet with central projecting pediment. The face of the pediment is ornamented with a central altar and Bible, and has stylized rays extending outwards. The sides of the Temple have the same major divisions as the facade: high basement, first story defined by a cornice and moulding, middle stories ornamented with pilasters, a paneled frieze, cavetto cornice, and parapet.
Here, limestone is used for the basement, window sills, and the pilasters' bases and capitals, while the frieze has terra cotta decoration. The rear of the Temple is undecorated and composed entirely of brick with random window openings. A one story brick addition houses the boiler room. NPS Form 10-900-a (3-82) OMB No.1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form For NPS use only recelved date entered Continuation sheet Masonic Temple Item number 7 Page 1 The windows of the Temple vary in size, and those on the facade, pavilion, and limestone portions of the sides (except for the windows behind the colonnade) are covered with bronze grilles. The interior of the Masonic Temple is made up of four main floors and two mezzanine floors.
The lower floor is mostly devoted to an extensive banquet hall which accommodates 1200 persons, and features a terrazo floor. In the rear of this hall is a large kitchen, and the boiler room. Adjacent to the banquet hall on the west side are the recreation rooms, which may be entered from the outside by a separate doorway. The first floor contains the main entrance from State Street. The foyer is two stories in height, and features a mosaic floor of Tennessee marble, Greek Doric stone columns, a marble stairway to a balcony with marble capped balustrade, and a coffered ceiling with chandelier. The smal1 and large blue lodge rooms are the major spaces on the first floor. The small blue lodge room can accommodate up to 250 people and has limestone walls with Greek Doric pilasters and an inlaid cork floor.
A pipe organ is at the western end of the room, while the furhishings have blue upholstery, and walnut consoles and rails. ancillary rooms here: anteroom, reception room, and library. has a capacity of 450 people and features limestone walls with Ionic pilasters, and an inlaid cork floor. There is also a pipe organ in this room, and the furnishings have taupe upholstery, and walnut consoles and rails. There are also three ancillary rooms here: anteroom, reception room, and trustees' room. The first mezzanine floor has a room for the blue lodge secretaries, and is equipped with a fireproof vault for records. The second floor is devoted to the York Rite bodies, and contains two major spaces. The Commandery room features Italian limestone walls with Roman Doric pilasters and columns, and an inlaid cork floor. There is also a pipe organ here.
The west side of the room has an arcade supported by columns, and crowned with a balcony. The room can accommodate upwards of 500 people. The prelates' room has hand cast plaster walls, a decorative, coffered ceiling, and an inlaid cork floor. The overall style is Neo-Gothic, and the furnishings are of oak. There are also storage rooms, smoking rooms, and a main lobby on this floor. The second mezzanine floor contains various ancillary rooms, and an armory for the storage of properties of the York Rite Bodies. The third floor is primarily occupied by the Auditorium. This is used for general purposes as well as for the working of the Scottish Rite degrees, and has a seating capacity of 1500 including 300 in the balcony. The proscenium is 35 feet wide and the stage is 24 feet deep. A large pipe organ is divided in half by the proscenium.
There is elaborate stage equipment including a large switchboard for lighting. A Frink reflector set in the ceiling as the principal lighting for the auditorium, while the space is "mushroom heated," the warm air coming up through the floor beneath the seats. An elaborate ventilation system filters dirt and dust from the air. There are also robing, smoking, and storage rooms on this floor. The upper floors are reached by two electric elevators in the front of the building, which were claimed to be the first of their type in New England. They have a speed of 350 feet with each per minutefloor before the ood before timdoo-g dan be benedtyeach be mator staces tenethne s major spaces soundproof, permitting simultaneous usage, and also has conceåled, colored lighting for special effects.
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