Masonic Temple (Chicago) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Masonic Temple Building
Record height
Tallest in Chicago from 1895 to 1899
General information
Location	Chicago, United States
Coordinates	41°53′05.28″N 87°37′39.27″W / 41.8848000°N 87.6275750°W / 41.8848000; -87.6275750
Construction started	1891
Completed	1892
Demolished	1939
Height
Roof	302 ft (92 m)
Technical details
Floor count	21

The Masonic Temple Building was a very tall building, called a skyscraper, built in Chicago, Illinois. It was finished in 1892. For many years, from 1895 into the 1920s, it was the tallest building in Chicago!

This impressive building was designed by a famous architecture company called Burnham and Root. It stood at the corner of Randolph and State Streets. The building had 21 floors. It became the city's tallest building in 1895. This happened after a clock tower was taken off another building, the Chicago Board of Trade Building.

What Was Inside?

The Masonic Temple Building had a large open space in the middle. Around this space, there were nine floors filled with shops. Above these shops were many offices.

At the very top of the building, there were special rooms for a group called the Masons. These rooms were also used as theaters. However, this caused a problem. The building's elevators were not good enough for all the people who came to the theaters. Because of this, businesses did not want to rent offices there anymore.

Why Was It Torn Down?

In 1892, the same year the Temple was built, Chicago made new rules about how tall buildings could be. These rules did not allow buildings to be taller than the Masonic Temple for a long time. The rules changed again in the 1920s.

The Masonic Temple Building was torn down in 1939. One reason was that its elevators and other services were old and not working well. Another big reason was that a new subway line, the State Street subway, was going to be built nearby. This would have meant very expensive work to fix the building's foundation.

After the Masonic Temple was demolished, a smaller two-story building was put in its place. This building had a Walgreens drug store. Today, a building called the Joffrey Tower stands where the Masonic Temple Building used to be.

Building the Temple

Sadly, two important people involved with the building passed away during its construction. John Wellborn Root, who was the main designer, and Norman T. Gassette, who represented the Masons, both died from natural causes.

Gallery

• 

  About 1900: A postcard showing the Masonic Temple

• 

  Masonic Temple, 1900

• 

  Masonic Temple with the new Marshall Field and Company Building, 1911

See also

In Spanish: Templo Masónico (Chicago) para niños