Detroit Masonic Temple

42°20′29.11″N 83°3′36.56″W / 42.3414194°N 83.0601556°W / 42.3414194; -83.0601556

Detroit Masonic Temple
Exterior view of the Ritualistic Tower seen from Cass Park (c. 2007)
Map
General information
Architectural styleGothic Revival
LocationCass Park Historic District, Midtown
Address500 Temple St
Detroit, MI
GroundbreakingNovember 25, 1920 (1920-11-25)
OpenedFebruary 22, 1926 (1926-02-22)
InauguratedNovember 25, 1926 (1926-11-25)
Cost$6.5 million
($98.9 million in 2023 dollars[1])
OwnerDetroit MTA, Detroit Lodge No. 2
Technical details
Floor count14
Design and construction
Architect(s)George D. Mason
Other information
Seating capacity4,650 (Masonic Theater)
1,586 (Jack White Theater)
1,080 (Fountain Ballroom)
550 (Crystal Ballroom)
400 (The Chapel)
Number of rooms1,037
Website
themasonic.com Edit this at Wikidata
NRHP reference No.80001920
MSHS No.P25067
Significant dates
Added to NRHPNovember 11, 1980
Designated MSHSJanuary 24, 1964

The Detroit Masonic Temple is the world's largest Masonic Temple.[2] Located in the Cass Corridor neighborhood of Detroit, Michigan, at 500 Temple Street, the building serves as a home to various masonic organizations including the York Rite Sovereign College of North America.[3] The building contains a variety of public spaces including three theaters, three ballrooms and banquet halls, and a 160 by 100 feet (49 m × 30 m) clear-span drill hall.[4]

Recreational facilities include a swimming pool, handball court, gymnasium, bowling alley, and a pool hall. It is currently the home of the Detroit Handball Club.[5] The building includes numerous lodge rooms, offices, and dining spaces, as well as a hotel section. Although the hotel rooms are available to any noble of the mystic shrine or blue lodge mason, none are currently in usable condition. Architect George D. Mason designed the whole structure as well as the Masonic Temple Theatre, a venue for concerts, Broadway shows, and other special events in the Detroit Theater District. It contains a 55-by-100-foot (17 m × 30 m) stage, one of the largest in the country.[citation needed]

The Detroit Masonic Temple was designed in the neo-gothic architectural style, using a great deal of limestone. The ritual building features 16 floors, stands 210 feet (64 m) tall, with 1,037 rooms. It dominates the skyline in an area known as Cass Corridor, across Temple Street from Cass Park, and Cass Technical High School. It is within walking distance of the Little Caesars Arena and the MotorCity Casino Hotel.[citation needed]

  1. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  2. ^ Alex Lundberg, Greg Kowalski: Detroit's Masonic Temple, Arcadia Pub., 2006.
  3. ^ "York Rite Sovereign College of North America". YRSCNA. Retrieved June 5, 2013.
  4. ^ "Facilities". The Masonic Temple Detroit. Archived from the original on June 12, 2013. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  5. ^ "DETROIT'S TEAM HANDBALL CLUB". The American Handball Company. Retrieved May 30, 2021.