Detroit Masonic Temple Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Detroit Masonic Temple
Exterior view of the Ritualistic Tower seen from Cass Park (c. 2007)
General information
Architectural style	Gothic Revival
Location	Cass Park Historic District, Midtown
Address	500 Temple St Detroit, MI
Groundbreaking	November 25, 1920 (1920-11-25)
Opened	February 22, 1926 (1926-02-22)
Inaugurated	November 25, 1926 (1926-11-25)
Cost	$6.5 million ($95 million in 2022 dollars )
Owner	Masonic Temple Association of Detroit
Technical details
Floor count	14
Design and construction
Architect	George D. Mason
Other information
Seating capacity	4,650 (Masonic Theater) 1,586 (Jack White Theater) 1,080 (Fountain Ballroom) 550 (Crystal Ballroom) 400 (The Chapel)
Number of rooms	1,037



U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district Contributing property

NRHP reference No.	80001920
Significant dates
Added to NRHP	November 11, 1980

The Detroit Masonic Temple is the biggest Masonic Temple in the world. It is located in Detroit, Michigan, at 500 Temple Street. This huge building is home to many Masonic groups. Freemasonry is one of the oldest and largest social organizations in the world. It is known for its secret rituals and symbols.

The temple has many public areas. These include three theaters, three ballrooms, and banquet halls. It also has a large 160 by 100 feet (49 m × 30 m) open space called a drill hall. For fun, there's a swimming pool, a handball court, a gym, a bowling alley, and a pool hall.

The building also has many rooms for meetings and dining. There is even a hotel section. These hotel rooms are not currently in use. The architect, George D. Mason, designed the entire building. He also designed the Masonic Temple Theatre. This theater hosts concerts, Broadway shows, and other special events. Its stage is 55-by-100-foot (17 m × 30 m), making it one of the largest in the country.

The Detroit Masonic Temple was built in the neo-gothic style. This means it looks like old European castles and cathedrals. It uses a lot of limestone. The main part of the building has 16 floors and is 210 feet (64 m) tall. It has 1,037 rooms! The temple stands out in the Cass Corridor area of Detroit. It is near Cass Park and Cass Technical High School. It is also close to the Little Caesars Arena and the MotorCity Casino Hotel.

History of the Detroit Masonic Temple
- How Jack White Helped the Temple
Amazing Architecture and Features
- Unique Lodge Rooms
Gallery
See also

History of the Detroit Masonic Temple

Masonic Temple, circa 1920s

The Masonic Temple Association started in Detroit in 1894. They moved into their first temple in 1896. As their group grew, they needed a bigger space. So, they bought land on Bagg Street (now Temple Avenue) to build a new, much larger temple. This new temple would also have a public theater.

Raising money for the new building was a big effort. They collected $2.5 million. This would be worth a lot more money today! The building started construction on Thanksgiving Day in 1920. A special ceremony took place on September 19, 1922. They used the same trowel that George Washington used to lay the cornerstone of the United States Capitol building. The Detroit Masonic Temple was officially finished and opened on Thanksgiving Day in 1926.

The main theater, shaped like a horseshoe, was first designed for 5,000 people. But some seats on the sides of the stage didn't have a good view. So, about 600 seats were removed or never used. This brought the total seating down to 4,404.

The temple was recognized as an important historical place in 1980. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes buildings and sites important to American history. It is also part of the Cass Park Historic District, which was created in 2005.

How Jack White Helped the Temple

Masonic Temple, 2019

In April 2013, the temple faced a problem. It was reported that the building might be taken by the county. This was because of unpaid taxes totaling $152,000. But in May 2013, the debt was paid off!

In June 2013, it was revealed who helped. The famous singer-songwriter Jack White paid $142,000 of the bill. Jack White is from Detroit and is known for his band, The White Stripes. He wanted to help the temple because they had helped his mother. The temple gave her a job as an usher in the theater when she needed work. To thank him, the Detroit Masonic Temple Association renamed one of its theaters the Jack White Theater.

Amazing Architecture and Features

The Detroit Masonic Temple has been the largest Masonic Temple in the world since 1939. That's when the Chicago Masonic Temple was taken down. The stage in its main auditorium is the second largest in the United States. It is 100 feet (30 m) wide and 55 feet (17 m) deep from the curtain.

The temple is a huge complex of buildings. It includes a 16-story ritual building. This is connected to a 10-story wing for the Shriners, another Masonic group. These parts are joined by a 7-story Auditorium Building. Inside, there's a 1,586-seat Scottish Rite Cathedral. There's also a 17,500-square-foot (1,630 m²) drill hall. This hall is used for trade shows and conventions. It's also home to Detroit Roller Derby! The drill hall has a special "floating floor." This means the floor is laid on felt cushions. This design makes the floor a bit bouncy, which is easier on people walking or marching.

The building has two beautiful ballrooms. One is the Crystal Ballroom. The other is the Fountain Ballroom, which is 17,264 square feet (1,603.9 m²) and can hold up to 1,000 people. There's even an unfinished theater on the top floor of the tower. It was planned to seat about 700 people.

Unique Lodge Rooms

The temple has seven "Craft Lodge Rooms." Each room has a different decorative style. These styles are inspired by ancient cultures and art movements. You can see Egyptian, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, Italian Renaissance, Byzantine, Gothic, and Romanesque designs. All the art inside the building, especially the decorated ceilings, was created by Italian artists. The building also has a Royal Arch room and a special area for the Knights Templar.

The Scottish Rite Cathedral can seat 1,600 people. Its stage is 64 feet (19.5 m) wide and 37 feet (11 m) deep.

Architect George D. Mason designed the theater. He chose the neo-gothic architectural style for the entire temple. The outside is covered with Indiana Limestone. Even though most Masonic buildings aren't in the Gothic style, Mason believed it best showed Masonic traditions.

Many of the stone, plaster, and metal designs inside the building were made by architectural sculptor Corrado Parducci. The three figures above the main entrance were created by Leo Friedlander. Other sculptures on the outside were done by Bill Gehrke.