From the National Register application:
(
visit link)
"The Masonic Temple is located at the southeast corner of East Main and South Hill Street approximately two blocks east of the Howell County Courthouse and the National Register-listed “Courthouse Square Historic District.” The building is part of the larger West Plains central business district and is surrounded by a mix of historic and modern commercial and institutional buildings. To the east is a one-story brick commercial building that sits close to the street. Though not attached to the Masonic Temple, this building hugs the lot line and obscures the eastern elevation of the lodge building. The nominated building sits on a flat lot with a narrow grassy lawn to the north, west and rear. Planting beds, lined with modern rusticated concrete landscaping blocks, flank the entrance steps and contain small trees and bushes. These plantings obscure basement level fenestration.
North elevation:
The north (primary) elevation is divided into three wide bays. The center bay is marked by a slightly projecting temple front. Two stylized Tuscan pilasters are located on either side of a centered entrance. The pilasters support a brick and stone entablature. A simple stone architrave lines the brick frieze which is capped by a projecting stone cornice and pediment. The pediment does not extend the full width of the temple front bay, but is located only over the entrance. The Masonic symbol is located in the peak of the pediment. Above the entablature is a tall pediment wall capped by limestone. The entrance consists of paired aluminum and glass doors under a stone sill on which is engraved “Masonic-Temple.” Over this is a large round arch window. Like the entrance, the window has been replaced with modern infill, but care was taken to mimic the pane arrangement of the original window. The window and doors fill the original opening which is lined in soldier course bricks. A wide set of concrete steps with concrete and limestone cheek walls provide access to the entrance.
The bays that flank the temple front are identical. A raised basement clad in limestone and capped by a limestone water table marks the lower level of the building, though the 6/6 wood sash basement windows extend from grade past the water table line. The windows have soldier course lintels and surrounds. The upper story is marked by large round arch window openings with stone sills. Double hung, 8/8 replacement windows fill the openings and are topped by round arch transoms. Though non-original, these windows fill the original openings and were
designed to mimic the multi-light pane pattern of the original windows. The stone architrave/brick frieze/stone cornice detailing seen on the center bay extends along the top of these two bays, though the cornice marks the roofline.
West Elevation
The architectural detailing seen on the façade (north elevation) extends across the first bay of the western elevation. This detail includes the stone and brick entablature, round arch upper story window (replacement), and original 8/8 wood sash basement window. To the south is a narrow projection with flat arched 4/4 wood sash windows (original) at the basement and upper levels. This projection is flanked to the south by a set of 6/6 windows. These three bays seem to mark the more public areas of the lodge hall containing a library and restroom on the upper level and recreation room on the lower. The rest of the western elevation provides insight into the interior use. The southern 2/3 of the building is divided into four bays by slightly projecting brick buttresses with concrete caps. The first three of these bays each contain two square window openings at near the roofline with stone sills. Historically, these windows contained paired casement windows that supplied light to the main lodge meeting room while keeping private the rites of the lodge. These windows have since been boarded over. At the basement level are original casement windows in roughly square openings that provide light to the lower level dining room. The southern most bay has no fenestration on the upper level, marking an interior storage space. The basement level contains a single window opening.
East Elevation
Like the west elevation, the decorative entablature and large window openings seen on the primary elevation wrap the northern most bays of the east elevation. To the south, the elevation is more utilitarian with ranks of 6 evenly spaced flat arched windows with stone sills on the upper level. The openings contain original double hung windows with a 6/6 (8/8?) sashes. Below each are 6/6 basement windows.
Southern Elevation
The rear (south) elevation reveals that the roofline of the building is stepped, with a higher roof over the main lodge hall and lower over the interior staging hall. The step in the roofline is mimicked by the step in the rear wall. The broader and taller portion of the wall is divided at the basement level by square basement openings containing paired casement windows. Above the outermost basement windows are 6/6 wood sash windows with stone sills at the upper level. A third, similar window, is located to the east. At the ground level is a secondary entrance with modern door."