Scottish Rite Cathedral
National Register of Historic Places

Scottish Rite Cathedral

Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska
Listed
August 9, 2011
Type
Building
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
11000529

About this property

The Scottish Rite Cathedral is a Masonic building in Omaha in the state of Nebraska in the Midwestern United States. Begun in 1912 and opened in 1914, it remains in use by the Scottish Rite. The building was designed in the Neoclassical Revival by Omaha architect John Latenser Sr. A native of Liechtenstein, Latenser studied in Stuttgart, Germany before emigrating to the United States in 1879. After working in Indianapolis, Chicago, and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, he moved to Omaha in 1887. His early work in Nebraska and Iowa consisted largely of designing cottages; but his reputation grew, and he was eventually appointed a Superintendent of Public Buildings during the administration of President William McKinley. His two sons joined his firm, which became John Latenser & Sons. The firm's work pervaded Omaha: "n the 1930s, 89 of 98 blocks in Downtown Omaha contained at least one building designed by John Latenser and Son". Latenser designed buildings in a variety of revival styles. For the Scottish Rite Temple, he turned to the principles of classical Greek design, using Ionic columns, which are significant in Masonic symbolism. The building is described as "the pinnacle of [Latenser's] works in the Neoclassical Revival style". In 2011, the building was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Cited in its nomination to the Register were both its architectural significance and the prominence of Freemasonry in Omaha's business and governmental leadership in course of the building's history.

Location

202 S. 20th St.
Omaha, Douglas County, Nebraska
41.25834, -95.94278

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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Scottish Rite Cathedral

This page lists Scottish Rite Cathedral. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Scottish Rite Cathedral report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Astro Theater
Industrial
0.1 mi
Sanford Hotel
Industrial
0.1 mi
Union State Bank Building
Civil War
0.1 mi
Northwestern Bell Telephone Company Regional Headquarters
Modern
0.1 mi
Farm Credit Building
Industrial
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Scottish Rite Cathedral listed on the National Register?

Scottish Rite Cathedral was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 9, 2011.

What type of historic resource is Scottish Rite Cathedral?

Scottish Rite Cathedral is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Scottish Rite Cathedral?

The period of significance for Scottish Rite Cathedral is recorded as the civil_war era.

Can I research the history near Scottish Rite Cathedral?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Scottish Rite Cathedral will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Douglas County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Douglas County.

Explore DouglasCounty ›

More historic places in Nebraska

Browse all historic places in Nebraska.

View Nebraskahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Nebraska history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Nebraskahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Scottish Rite Cathedral will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report