Masonic Temple – 1100 Henderson Street

1100 Henderson Street [RTHL/NR/CFO(NR)], Masonic Temple, 1930-31.  Dominating its seven and one-half acre site on a hillside overlooking downtown Fort Worth, the Masonic Temple is one of the most monumentally imposing buildings in the city.  The carefully piled masses and gigantic Ionic peristyle recall the heroic classicism of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.  Designed by Fort Worth architect Wiley G. Clarkson and constructed in 1931 by Harry B. Friedman, the structure is virtually intact today.  Outstanding features include the bas-relief Monel doors depicting the three Masters of Masonry who helped build King Solomon’s Temple and the intact interior which includes a library, meeting rooms for the affiliated lodges, a banquet room, and a Gothic cathedral hall.  The landscape design, including the monumental stair, was by C.J. Dose.  The Masonic Temple was designated as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1984 and in 2017 was listed in the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural design as well as for its importance to the Masonic tradition in Texas.  It is also a contributor to the proposed Central Business District Clubs and Fraternal Organizations National Register Thematic Group.

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