Masonic Temple (Quincy, Massachusetts)
Encyclopedia
The Quincy Masonic Building is a historic Masonic
temple at 1170 Hancock Street, Quincy, Massachusetts
.
It was built in 1926 and added to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1989.
The building is home to three Masonic Lodge
s, York Rite
, Grotto, DeMolay and Rainbow
.
Rural Lodge was founded in 1801.
Macedonian Lodge was founded in 1892.
Milton Lodge was founded in 1922.
DeMolay and Rainbow are youth organizations for young men and young women.
The York Rite and Grotto are organizations open to Freemasons
The imposing main entrance is set on a high basement of regular ashlar
blocks, with a flat roof hidden by a shaped parapet. Dominating the facade is a projecting pavilion composed of four giant Ionic
columns in antis supporting an architrave replete with Masonic symbols. A large cascade of steps leading up to the main entrance is flanked by metal tripod tables each on a base decorated with a griffin on a terracotta plaque. The main lobby is remarkable for its Egyptian styling, featuring battered entranceways, papyrus ornaments and sphinxes. This leads via two sets of doors to the large Main Lodge room, which is used for Rural Lodge meetings and other large events, and features neoclassical furniture and furnishings and a classical landscape fresco signed by the artist, Carroll Bill.
The architects, J Williams Beal, designed other nearby landmark buildings in downtown Quincy, such as the Art Deco Granite Trust, The Patriot Ledger Building and the neo-Gothic Bethany Congregational Church which is adjacent to the Richardson Thomas Crane Public Library.
The organ is a regularly used and fully working EM Skinner opus 661 of 1927, with 470 pipes.
The building is infrequently open to the public, but visitors are invited to see the building interior at the Open House (one in Spring, one in Fall).
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
temple at 1170 Hancock Street, Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. Its nicknames are "City of Presidents", "City of Legends", and "Birthplace of the American Dream". As a major part of Metropolitan Boston, Quincy is a member of Boston's Inner Core Committee for the Metropolitan Area Planning Council...
.
It was built in 1926 and added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1989.
The building is home to three Masonic Lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
s, York Rite
York Rite
The York Rite or American Rite is one of several Rites of the worldwide fraternity known as Freemasonry. A Rite is a series of progressive degrees that are conferred by various Masonic organizations or bodies, each of which operates under the control of its own central authority...
, Grotto, DeMolay and Rainbow
International Order of the Rainbow for Girls
The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls is a Masonic youth service organization which teaches leadership training through community service...
.
Rural Lodge was founded in 1801.
Macedonian Lodge was founded in 1892.
Milton Lodge was founded in 1922.
DeMolay and Rainbow are youth organizations for young men and young women.
The York Rite and Grotto are organizations open to Freemasons
Architectural Significance
The Quincy Masonic Temple is an outstanding example of a Neoclassical building. It has three floors, which include a theater/ballroom, three separate lodge rooms, elaborate ante-rooms, and an oak-paneled library.The imposing main entrance is set on a high basement of regular ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
blocks, with a flat roof hidden by a shaped parapet. Dominating the facade is a projecting pavilion composed of four giant Ionic
Ionic order
The Ionic order forms one of the three orders or organizational systems of classical architecture, the other two canonic orders being the Doric and the Corinthian...
columns in antis supporting an architrave replete with Masonic symbols. A large cascade of steps leading up to the main entrance is flanked by metal tripod tables each on a base decorated with a griffin on a terracotta plaque. The main lobby is remarkable for its Egyptian styling, featuring battered entranceways, papyrus ornaments and sphinxes. This leads via two sets of doors to the large Main Lodge room, which is used for Rural Lodge meetings and other large events, and features neoclassical furniture and furnishings and a classical landscape fresco signed by the artist, Carroll Bill.
The architects, J Williams Beal, designed other nearby landmark buildings in downtown Quincy, such as the Art Deco Granite Trust, The Patriot Ledger Building and the neo-Gothic Bethany Congregational Church which is adjacent to the Richardson Thomas Crane Public Library.
The organ is a regularly used and fully working EM Skinner opus 661 of 1927, with 470 pipes.
The building is infrequently open to the public, but visitors are invited to see the building interior at the Open House (one in Spring, one in Fall).