Masonic Temple

By CSU Center for Public History and Digital Humanities

Masonic Temple Asylum, ca. 1930 Source: Cleveland Memory Project, Cleveland State University Library Special Collections

The Masonic Temple and Performing Arts Center at 3615 Euclid Avenue was completed in 1921. The original plans for a high-rise office building addition to the temple, however, were never implemented. The Masonic Auditorium was home to the Cleveland Orchestra for ten years prior to the opening of Severance Hall in 1931, and it continued to be used as the setting for most of the orchestra's recordings long thereafter as a result of its fine acoustics. The building also is home to the Cleveland Masonic Library and Museum, as well as budding arts groups like: Dancing Wheels (a wheelchair ballet group), RED: An Orchestra (an avant-garde ensemble) and The Singing Angels (a youth choir).

Audio

Cleveland's Masonic History Charles Berry details the history of Masonry in Ohio Source: Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection

The Singing Angels Children's Choir William Boehm describes the origin of the Singing Angels Children's Choir which performs at the Masonic Hall Source: Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection

Masonry's Growth after World War II Alan Jones discusses the growth of Masonry in postwar Cleveland Source: Cleveland Regional Oral History Collection

Images

Masonic Temple Asylum, ca. 1930 Source: Cleveland Memory Project, Cleveland State University Library Special Collections

Masonic Temple Auditorium, ca. 1930 Source: Cleveland Memory Project (Identifier: leedymixed25g0106.jpg), Cleveland State University Library Special Collections

Exterior, ca. 1920s Although they were never built, this postcard shows a series of stone obelisks in front of the Masonic Temple, which were part of the original design. Source: Cleveland Memory Project (Identifier: leedymixed25g0038), Cleveland State University Library Special Collections

Masonic Temple, ca. 1920s. This postcard shows the Temple without the limestone faÃ§ade that graces its entrance today. Source: Cleveland Memory Project (Identifier: leedymixed25g0049), Cleveland State University Library Special Collections

Cleveland Masons, ca. 1941 The back of this postcard reads "Al Sirat Grotto's Big Six from Cleveland, Ohio, celebrates their 31st anniversary this month. They are the largest (in stature) auxiliary in the Grottoes of the Realm." Source: Cleveland Memory Project (Identifier: leedymixed29t001), Cleveland State University Library Special Collections

Old Masonic Temple, East 6th St. Built in 1883, the building at Superior Avenue and East 6th Street was the first official structure built for Cleveland-area Masons, who had been organized in the city as a group since 1811. Source: Cleveland Memory Project (Identifier: Illustrated134), Cleveland State University Library Special Collections

1953 Townsend Plan Convention This postcard shows the Broadway Avenue headquarters of the Townsend Insurance Company. The building is adorned with an advertisement for its 13th annual convention, held at the Masonic Temple. The Townsend Plan for retirement insurance was influential in the passage of the Social Security Act of 1935. Source: Cleveland Memory Project (Identifier: leedymixed29t061), Cleveland State University Library Special Collections

Masonic Temple, ca. 1940s Note the addition in this picture of a Walker & Weeks-designed stone facade over the front entrance. Source: Cleveland Memory Project (Identifier: leedymixed25g0085.jpg), Cleveland State University Library Special Collections

Proposed Masonic Memorial Building This tower was planned for addition onto the front of the Masonic Temple facing Euclid Avenue but was never built. Source: Cleveland Memory Project (Identifier: leedymixed25g0041.jpg), Cleveland State University Library Special Collections

Location

3615 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH 44115

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Metadata

Citation Info

CSU Center for Public History and Digital Humanities, “Masonic Temple,” Cleveland Historical, accessed May 13, 2024, https://clevelandhistorical.org/items/show/9.

Published Sep 13, 2010. Last updated Sep 27, 2023.

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