National Register of Historic Places

Detroit Masonic Temple

Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
Listed
November 28, 1980
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
80001920

About this property

The Detroit Masonic Temple is the world's largest Masonic Temple. 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. The building has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980. The Detroit Masonic Temple contains a variety of public spaces, including three theaters, three ballrooms and banquet halls, and a 160-by-100-foot (49 m × 30 m) clear-span drill hall. Recreational facilities include a swimming pool, a handball court, a gymnasium, a bowling alley, and a pool hall. The building also features numerous lodge rooms, offices, and dining spaces. 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. 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.

Location

500 Temple Ave.
Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan
42.34176, -83.06020

Categories

ARTENGINEERINGARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
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

Cass Park Historic District
Modern
0 mi
Kresge, S. S., World Headquarters
Industrial
0.1 mi
Cass, Lewis, Technical High School
Industrial
0.2 mi
Eddystone Hotel
Industrial
0.2 mi
Park Avenue Hotel
Industrial
0.2 mi

Nearby Battles

Surrender of Fort Detroit
1812Early Republic
1 mi
Siege of Fort Detroit — American Recovery 1813
1813Early Republic
1 mi
Battle of Bloody Run 1763 (Detroit)
1763Colonial
1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Detroit Masonic Temple listed on the National Register?

Detroit Masonic Temple was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 28, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Detroit Masonic Temple?

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

What is the period of significance for Detroit Masonic Temple?

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

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