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 was once a special building in Meridian, Mississippi. It was so important that it was added to the United States National Register of Historic Places. This list keeps track of buildings that are historically significant. The cathedral was designed in a unique Egyptian Revival style. This means it looked like ancient Egyptian temples. A famous architect from Meridian, P.J. Krouse, designed it. He also designed other important buildings in the city.
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History of the Scottish Rite Cathedral
The land where the Scottish Rite Cathedral stood had a history of its own. It was first home to the Methodist Mississippi Female College. This college started in 1869. It was one of the oldest colleges in Meridian. Later, this college became known as Beeson's College.
How the Building Was Designed
The idea for the Scottish Rite building came from a trip to Egypt. An architect named Hyman W. Witcover visited Egypt. He was very impressed by the Temple to Osiris. This ancient temple was on an island called Philae. Witcover designed a Scottish Rite Cathedral. He hoped it would one day be built.
P.J. Krouse, the Meridian architect, took Witcover's plans. He made some changes and sent them in again in 1914. Krouse then watched over the building's construction. The Cass Construction Company built the cathedral. This company was from Georgia.
Unique Egyptian Style
The building had three stories. It was built into the side of a hill. This made the front look like it had only two stories and a basement. The entire building had an Egyptian-style "gorge-and-roll" cornice. This is a decorative molding at the top.
The front of the building had a special section. It had an entrance supported by columns. These columns had lotus flower capitals. Lotus flowers were important symbols in ancient Egypt. Above the columns, there was a symbol of a vulture and a sun disk. This was also an ancient Egyptian design. The main entrance was guarded by sphinxes. These sphinxes were colorful and made of terracotta. Two tall, thin obelisks also stood at the front.
What Happened to the Building?
Sadly, the Scottish Rite Cathedral was destroyed by a fire. This happened on March 20, 1985. Because of the fire, the building was removed from the National Register of Historic Places in 1987.
