Scottish Rite Cathedral (Meridian, Mississippi) facts for kids
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Scottish Rite Cathedral
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Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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| Location | 1101 23rd Ave., Meridian, Mississippi |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1914 |
| Architect | Krouse, P.J.; Cass Construction Co. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals, Egyptian Revival |
| MPS | Meridian MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003404 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | 1979 |
| Removed from NRHP | May 15, 1987 |
The Scottish Rite Cathedral in Meridian, Mississippi was once a grand building. It was so important that it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States. This list helps protect special places in the country.
The building looked like ancient Egyptian temples. This style is called Egyptian Revival. A famous architect from Meridian, P.J. Krouse, designed it. He also designed other important buildings in the city, like Meridian City Hall.
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History of the Scottish Rite Cathedral
The land where the Scottish Rite Cathedral stood had a history even before the building. In 1869, a school for girls called the Methodist Mississippi Female College was built there. It was one of the oldest colleges in the city. Later, this college became known as Beeson's College.
How the Design Came to Life
The unique Egyptian look of the Scottish Rite building was inspired by an architect named Hyman W. Witcover. He was from Savannah, Georgia. Witcover took a trip to Egypt and was amazed by the ancient temples. He especially liked the Temple to Osiris on an island called Philae.
Witcover then drew plans for a Scottish Rite Cathedral that looked like those Egyptian temples. He hoped it would be built one day. Later, in 1914, P.J. Krouse updated these plans. He also oversaw the construction of the building. The Cass Construction Company, from Georgia, built it.
Building Features and Style
The Scottish Rite Cathedral had three stories. It was built into the side of a hill. This made the front (northern) side look like it only had two stories and a basement.
All around the building, there was a special Egyptian-style border called a gorge-and-roll cornice. The main entrance on the northern side stuck out a bit. It had a doorway set back, supported by columns. These columns had tops shaped like lotus flowers.
Above the columns, there was a symbol of a vulture and a sun disk. This was part of the entablature, which is the upper part of a building. The front entrance was also decorated with sphinxes. These sphinxes were made of colorful terracotta. Two tall, thin monuments called obelisks stood next to the entrance.
The Building's End
Sadly, the Scottish Rite Cathedral was destroyed by a fire on March 20, 1985. Because of this, it was removed from the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
