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| Brand New Masonic Temple, 1908 |
“Provided present plans are carried out, within another year Prescott Masons may well claim to have the grandest and best appointed Masonic Temple in the Territory,” the Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner reported, “and another substantial building will be added to the many that now adorn both sides of North Cortez Street.” The Lodge, it was said, got “tired of paying rent and worrying with landlords…”
The lot on which it would be built was first owned by Yavapai County and was the location of the first county courthouse. Later, after the Old Courthouse was built on the Plaza, the city traded the Plaza to the County for this lot. It was the home of the Prescott Gas and Electric Co. before the Masons purchased it in 1902 for $5000 (about $195,000 today).
Soon after it was purchased, the lot was surveyed by AB Mader, but it would take an additional five years before plans to build the Temple were perfected.
The overall contract to build it was awarded to OM Stevenson of San Bernardino, CA, for $38,042 (or $1,355,671 today), with the building scheduled to be ready February 1, 1908. “The first story will be granite and the walls of the second story [will be] tufa, from Kirkland quarries,” the paper revealed. It would have a 50-foot frontage, a 96-foot depth, and stand 53 feet tall. The building would be three stories in the front, and four stories in the rear.
“Two Corinthian columns will adorn both sides of the front entrance…supporting the second story, which in turn will show in its elevation 2-story columns on each side of a frontal recess. Plate glass and marble trimmings will adorn the front entrance, which will be floored with mosaic pavement,” the paper explained.
The second story landing will be lighted from a skylight, and will house 11 large office rooms, “which have been rented already for a period of 10 years,” the paper continued. “The floors will be of double hardwood, and by peculiar features of construction the floors underneath the third story will be deadened.” The entire third floor will be used as the Masons’ lodge room, and the rear fourth floor will be used as an armory for the Knights Templar, “with committee rooms and organ gallery.”
The first story would be 16 feet high, the second story 11.5 feet, with the lodge room being 19 feet, 9 inches tall, and the banquet hall and parlors 14 feet high.
The Grand Lodge, Free & Accepted Masons of Arizona, came to Prescott on October 19, 1907, to participate in laying the cornerstone of the Prescott Masonic Temple. “Many Grand Lodge officers and other prominent Masons [were] in attendance.” Masons from all over came to Prescott for the event, including 13 states from California to Maryland. Masons also arrived from Hawaii, Mexico, and Scotland.
The early history of Arizona's first Masonic Lodge located in Prescott, highlighting Morris Goldwater's role.
At 3 pm the Grand Lodge would be called upon, “after which, promptly at 4 pm, the procession of masons will move from the lodge rooms of Aztlan Lodge to the site of the cornerstone laying,” the paper explained. At 4:15 pm, “the local and visiting Masons formed in marching order at their lodge rooms and [after] making a circuit around the Plaza, marched to the site of the Masonic Temple.”
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| Laying the Cornerstone for the Masonic Temple 10/19/1907 |
The cornerstone was placed by Herbert Brown, Grand Master of Tucson, and Judge Wells of Prescott. Mayor Morris Goldwater, “one of the highest-ranking Masons in the Territory,” presented Grand Master Brown of the Grand Lodge of Tucson with a golden trowel, after which the Masonic chaplain offered a prayer. Then the cornerstone was laid with the usual rites of the order.
Embedded in the cornerstone was a tin box time capsule that contained an interesting assortment of items: a Bible, a compass and square, a copy of the Great Register of Yavapai County; copies of Prescott’s two newspapers; an invitation to the laying of the cornerstone; a copy of the lodge laws; a history of the Arizona Lodge; issue #1 of the IOOF Monitor, a small copper bar from Jerome; and a list of county officers of the day.
Photos placed in the box included: a picture of the (brand new) Bucky O’Neill monument; pictures showing the first, second, and third Masonic lodge halls; and pictures of the Elks building, the Prescott Bank buildings, the public library; and a photo of the past Grand Master, George J. Roskruge.
A collection of coins was also placed in the box, including: one M.M. (mint mark?) penny; a Roman penny; and coins from the San Francisco fire. Lastly, a handful of other lodge-related items were also included.
On the face of the cornerstone were engraved the words: “Laid by the M.W. Grand Lodge, F. & A. M. Of Arizona, October 19th, A.L. 5907.” (5907 represents the year on the Masonic calendar, which one might note is the A.D. year plus 4000.) Later that evening, a brief reception was tendered, and at 9 pm a banquet was served.
A month later, Prescott was selected for the next Grand Lodge meeting place, on November 10, 1908, when the new Temple would be dedicated.
The bricklaying contract went to Fitzsimmons and Keating, who laid over 300,000 bricks and completed the job in July 1908.
In October, cement was poured for the ground floor, which the Commercial Trust Company would occupy. “The large vault doors will be put in position as soon as the cement is dry,” the Weekly Journal-Miner said. The expected opening was November 1, but it was delayed until the end of the month.
Later that month, “several prominent Masons and their wives arrived from different parts of the Territory to assist in the dedication of the new Masonic Temple…and attend the 27th annual session of the Grand Lodge,” the paper reported. Among those arriving was George J. Roskruge, an immigrant from Cornwall, England, where he became a Mason before coming to the US. “He is generally known as the ‘father’ of Masonry in Arizona,” the paper explained.
As planned, the annual meeting began November 10, 1908. “Most of the day was spent in adjusting matter in the usual way; a little business was transacted; many old acquaintances were renewed; and in the afternoon, the visiting Masons were driven to Ft. Whipple,” the paper chronicled.
They then came back to town to dedicate the new Temple, followed by a reception hosted by the Eastern Star (the ladies’ counterpart). “As evening approached, the town began to assume a very festive air,” the paper described. “The streets were ablaze with light, practically every building in the business section being outlined, and the Plaza festooned with incandescent lights.” The dedication started at 8:30 pm “with the usual corn, oil, and wine ceremony,” interspersed with songs from a male quartet. Then the architect gave a speech and returned to the Masons “the plumb, square and level which had been given him at the laying of the cornerstone.” Several speeches followed, “given by prominent members of the order.”
“Early in the evening, the Chinese order of Masons presented to the Prescott lodge two handsome Satsuma vases and a silk tapestry framed in bronze with inlaid ivory,” the paper chronicled. “The gift, aside from its monetary value, is one of great art and workmanship.”
There also was a black order of Masons in Prescott, but neither of these minority orders received much mention in the newspaper.
Entertainments and banquets were held, and the appointment of new officers was made. “For the first time in Arizona, the rendition of the ritual was accompanied by electrically lighted emblems,” the paper proclaimed. “The illumination converted the room into a veritable fairy land.”
Less than a year later, the Masonic Temple welcomed the first person to sign the Temple register: President William Howard Taft! After speaking to thousands on the Plaza, he visited the Masonic Temple first.
The charming story of William Howard Taft's visit to Prescott, Arizona in October 1909.
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SOURCES:
Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner, 7/17/1907; Pg. 2, Col. 1.
Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner, 7/23/1902; Pg. 3, Col. 2.
Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner, 8/28/1907; Pg. 8, Col. 6.
Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner, 10/16/1907; Pg. 5, Col. 2.
Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner, 11/27/1907; Pg. 5, Col. 1.
Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner, 10/23/1907; Pg. 3, Col. 4.
Arizona Weekly Journal-Miner, 7/15/1908; Pg. 6, Col. 4.
Weekly Journal-Miner, 10/21/1908; Pg. 3, Col. 3.
Weekly Journal-Miner, 11/25/1908; Pg. 3, Cols. 1-4.
Weekly Journal-Miner, 10/20/1909; Pg. 3, Col. 4.
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