Masonic Temple - Butte, MT - Photos Then and Now on Waymarking.com

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Masonic Temple - Butte, MT

in Photos Then and Now

Posted by:  T0SHEA

12T E 380671 N 5096587

Chartered October 3, 1876 as Butte Lodge #22, the Masons of Butte had this temple built at the turn of the century. It was a replacement for an earlier, and less extravagant, lodge building which the, by that time 500 member, lodge had outgrown.

"Then" and "Now" photos were, obviously, taken from across Park Street directly in front of the building, looking south. The "Then" photo, taken shortly after completion of the building, appears to have been enhanced with hand drawn clouds.

Stone on the lower floor and brick on the upper three floors, embellished with tasteful amounts of artwork, the Masonic Temple was designed by the firm of Link & Carter, the precursor to the even more well known Link & Haire. This, Butte Lodge #22, was one of six chartered in Butte between 1876 and 1922, this one being the first.

The power and prestige of the Masons in Butte at the turn of the century is exemplified in their temple, and particularly in the entrance, surely designed to elicit OOOOhs and AAAAhs from strangers who should enter. One of two matching archways at ground level, the entrance is formed of five steps, the first with a square Egyptian column, the next two with round Doric columns, then an Ionic column, the last a Corinthian column. Over the arch is a highly decorated and oversized keystone. The entire series of steps in the arch above the columns is of carved stone, each step carved with either seashells, leaves, flowers or a Grecian style chain design.

Elsewhere on the building is artwork typical of the time, including Ionic column capitals, a series of small busts under the third floor windows, with a very ornately carved panel beneath each of the centre three busts, followed by another, smaller, panel below featuring round columns, scrolls and a wagon wheel motif.

Though the masons built a new temple beside this one, initially intended as a replacement for this temple, a decline in the fortunes of the town, and the Masons, is likely what led them to forgo moving into their beautiful building, instead leasing it to the Fox Film Company. The Masons have remained in this building ever since.