Built for the Elks, Lodge Number 228, beginning in 1919 and completed in 1921 at a cost of
$200,000, this building is the brainchild of little known architect
Edward J. Baume. Although the name
Kirtland Cutter is also associated with the building, it seems likely that his addition to the construction was restricted to interior design. The general contractor for the building was Hurley Mason.
Declining membership caused the closure of the Lodge in 1981, at which time the building was bought by Coast Life Insurance. In 1983 they commissioned Warren, Cummings, Heylman & Partners, Architects, to restore the building. The building is now home to the Office of the Attorney General. It has, as well, been placed on the City of Spokane's Heritage Register.
From
The Register:
Rectangular in plan, the reinforced concrete building is faced with smooth-dressed sandstone. Its taut-surfaced, formally organized two-story façade measures approximately 110 feet in length. On the ground story there are four bays on either side of a central, simply-framed entry with bracketed hood. Elongated openings of the ground story have
round arch heads and are fitted with casement windows and fanlights. The scheme avoided sculptural framements for the most part. Spandrel panels and radiating joints over the arches are integral parts of the wall plane. Second story openings are recessed behind a gallery of three equal sections separated by piers and screened by an Ionic colonnade with balustrade. Between colonnade sections, cartouches are fixed to the façade under the gallery sill. The façade is capped by a decorative frieze in low relief, a pent eave of mission tiles, and a balustrade.
The interior of the Elks Temple has been remodeled over the years, but original trim has been retained in the lobby and library.