Masonic Temple (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

Philadelphia's Masonic Temple
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark

(2015)
Location in Philadelphia Show map of Philadelphia Location in Pennsylvania Show map of Pennsylvania Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	1 N. Broad Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Built	1868-73
Architect	James H. Windrim (exterior) George Herzog (interior)
Architectural style	Norman
NRHP reference No.	71000727
Added to NRHP	May 27, 1971
Designated NHL	February 4, 1985

The Masonic Temple is a very old and important building in Philadelphia. It's located at 1 North Broad Street, right across from Philadelphia City Hall. This amazing building is the main office for the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, which is a group of Freemasons.

Inside the Temple, you'll find the Masonic Library and Museum of Pennsylvania. Thousands of people visit every year to see its beautiful design. The building has seven special rooms where different Masonic groups meet. It's a truly unique place to explore!

History of Masonic Temples in Philadelphia

Freemasonry has been in Philadelphia since the early 1700s. They built their first special meeting place in the city in 1811. It was on Chestnut Street. Sadly, this building burned down in 1819.

But they didn't give up! It was rebuilt in 1820. Later, a second Masonic temple was built on Chestnut Street in the 1850s. This one opened in 1855. It was sold in 1873 when the brand new, much bigger temple was finally ready.

Building the Grand Temple

The current Masonic Temple was designed in a style called Norman. This style looks a bit like old medieval castles. The architect, James H. Windrim, was only 27 years old when his design was chosen!

A huge stone, weighing ten tons, was used as the cornerstone. This special stone was put in place on June 24, 1868. For this ceremony, they used the same special hammer, called a gavel, that President George Washington used in 1793. He used it when he helped start the building of the nation's Capitol building.

The outside of the Temple was finished five years later, in 1873. It was officially opened on September 29th of that year. The inside of the building was designed by George Herzog. It took even longer to finish, starting in 1887 and taking another fifteen years!

The outside of the building, especially the front entrance on Broad and Filbert Streets, is very grand. It's made of a special stone called Cape Ann Syenite. This stone comes from a place called Syne in Upper Egypt. The Temple is considered one of Philadelphia's most amazing buildings.

Because of its special history and design, the Temple was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 27, 1971. It was then named a National Historic Landmark in 1985. This means it's one of the most important examples of Masonic architecture in the whole country!