Masonic Temple (Spokane)

Masonic Temple (Spokane)
Name	Masonic Temple (Spokane)
Location	Spokane, Washington, United States
Built	1909–1911
Architect	John K. Dow
Architecture	Classical Revival
Added	1995
Designation	Local landmark

Masonic Temple (Spokane) is a historic fraternal building in Spokane, Washington constructed in the early 20th century to serve Freemasonry lodges and allied organizations. Designed by architect John K. Dow in the Classical Revival style, the Temple stands near downtown Spokane as part of the city's built heritage alongside nearby landmarks such as the Spokane County Courthouse and the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist (Spokane). The building has hosted ritual, social, and civic activities for bodies of Freemasonry including Blue Lodge, Royal Arch, and Knights Templar chapters, and has been the focus of preservation campaigns involving local institutions like the Spokane Preservation Advocates and municipal heritage programs.

History

The project emerged after turn-of-the-century growth in Spokane following the Great Spokane Fire of 1889 and the arrival of transcontinental railroads including the Northern Pacific Railway and the Great Northern Railway. Early planning involved leaders from Grand Lodges in Washington (state) and oversight by lodge officers who worked with architect John K. Dow, also known for designs such as Browne's Addition residences and civic commissions. Construction began around 1909 amid regional economic expansion tied to timber and mining interests represented by figures associated with Inland Northwest commerce. The Temple opened in 1911 and quickly became a center for fraternal rites for lodges chartered under the Grand Lodge of Washington, drawing membership from civic leaders, businessmen, and professionals connected to institutions like Gonzaga University and Washington State University alumni in Spokane. Throughout the 20th century the building adapted to new uses during periods including the Great Depression and World Wars, hosting wartime bond drives and relief efforts involving organizations such as the American Red Cross and local veterans groups.

Architecture

The Temple exemplifies Classical Revival motifs common in fraternal architecture of the era, referencing precedents like the Parthenon-inspired language visible in civic temples across the United States. Exterior features include a formal symmetrical façade, pilasters, entablature, and a cornice aligned with historicist aesthetics seen in downtown Spokane alongside landmarks like the Deaconess Hospital (Spokane) buildings. Architect John K. Dow employed load-bearing masonry, steel framing, and terracotta ornamentation consistent with early 20th-century construction methods used by contemporaries such as Kirtland Cutter and firms active in the Pacific Northwest. Fenestration patterns, belt courses, and a raised basement contribute to the building's street presence on a block proximate to the Spokane River and transportation corridors once dominated by streetcar lines. The design also integrates symbolic elements tied to Freemasonry ritual architecture, echoing motifs found in temples across cities like Portland, Oregon and Seattle.

Interior and Facilities

Inside, the Temple contains ceremonial lodge rooms arranged for Blue Lodge meetings, antechambers, and a raised dais for officers—spaces paralleling layouts used by Royal Arch and Knights Templar bodies in other Masonic complexes. Furnishings historically included handcrafted woodwork, imported draperies, and stained glass commissions reminiscent of works seen in churches such as the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine stylistic practices. Functional support spaces consist of banquet halls, a kitchen, committee rooms, and offices used by lodge secretaries and treasurers, enabling events similar to banquets held by civic clubs like the Rotary International and Kiwanis International chapters. Acoustical treatments and stage facilities have allowed the Temple to host lectures, musical recitals, and civic forums featuring speakers associated with institutions such as Washington State Historical Society and visiting scholars from regional universities.

Masonic and Community Use

As a hub for Freemasonry in Spokane, the Temple has accommodated multiple subordinate lodges, concordant bodies, appendant orders, and youth groups including Order of the Eastern Star chapters and DeMolay International units. The building served as a meeting place where local Masons coordinated charitable activities with partners like Boy Scouts of America councils and hospital auxiliaries connected to entities such as Providence Health & Services. Civic events, public lectures, and musical performances drew audiences beyond fraternal membership, reinforcing ties with municipal leaders from Spokane City Council and state legislators from the Washington State Legislature. Periodic rental to community groups and nonprofits sustained usage when lodge membership declined during late 20th-century demographic shifts affecting fraternal organizations nationwide.

Preservation and Renovation

Interest in preserving the Temple intensified with late 20th-century historic preservation movements led by groups like National Trust for Historic Preservation affiliates and local preservationists. The building was documented for historic registers and benefited from rehabilitation efforts addressing seismic upgrades, masonry conservation, and restoration of interior decorative schemes, coordinated with preservation standards set by agencies such as the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation. Renovation phases involved partnerships with developers, grant programs from cultural foundations, and design teams familiar with adaptive reuse projects undertaken in Spokane, comparable to work on the Fox Theater (Spokane) and historic warehouses in Railway District. Fundraising engaged heritage organizations, lodge networks, and municipal incentives aimed at maintaining the Temple's structural and cultural integrity.

Cultural Significance and Legacy

The Temple holds significance as an architectural landmark, a locus for fraternal practice, and a repository of social networks that shaped Spokane's civic life alongside institutions like Spokane Public Library and Spokane Symphony. Its legacy intertwines with local narratives of civic leadership, philanthropy, and architectural patronage involving figures from regional commerce and education sectors. Preservation of the Temple contributes to broader efforts to retain Spokane's historic urban fabric, informing scholarship by historians affiliated with Eastern Washington University and heritage tourism promoted by the Spokane Convention Center. The building continues to symbolize the civic-entwined tradition of fraternal orders in the American West and remains a focal point for ongoing conversations about adaptive reuse, historic memory, and community stewardship.

Category:Buildings and structures in Spokane, Washington Category:Freemasonry in the United States