National Register of Historic Places

Sterling Masonic Temple

Sterling, Whiteside County, Illinois
Listed
November 7, 1996
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
96001279

About this property

The Sterling Masonic Temple is a historic Masonic building located at 111-113 West 3rd Street in Sterling, Illinois. The edifice was constructed in 1899–1900 to be the new headquarters for the city's Masonic lodge, as its former meeting place had burned down in 1898. The lodge, formally known as the Rock River Lodge Number 612 A.F. & A.M., first met in 1869 and was the town's second chapter of the Masons. Architect George W. Ashby designed the lodge's new building in the Chateauesque style. The building's design includes a steep mansard roof with equally steep dormers adorned with pinnacles, buttresses topped by ornamental griffins, and a brick and stone exterior. The Masons met on the third story, as Masonic meeting rooms were typically elevated for secrecy; the lower two floors were rented to businesses. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1996. The Masonic lodge still meets in the building, though its membership has declined dramatically since the 1960s.

Location

111--113 W. 3rd St.
Sterling, Whiteside County, Illinois
41.78790, -89.69801

Categories

SOCIAL HISTORYARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

First Congregational Church of Sterling
Industrial
0.2 mi
Kirk, Col. Edward N., House
Industrial
0.8 mi
Malvern Roller Mill
Industrial
11 mi
Nachusa House
Industrial
11.2 mi
Illinois Central Stone Arch Railroad Bridges
Early Republic
11.4 mi

Questions about this property

When was Sterling Masonic Temple listed on the National Register?

Sterling Masonic Temple was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1996.

What type of historic resource is Sterling Masonic Temple?

Sterling Masonic Temple is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Sterling Masonic Temple?

The period of significance for Sterling Masonic Temple is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Sterling Masonic Temple?

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