Masonic Temple
Posted by: 
MNSearchers
N 45° 27.598 W 098° 29.277
14T E 540033 N 5034176
Already having been meeting for five years, the Masons built this first temple west of the Mississippi in 1897 upon a cornerstone procured from the King Solomon quarries at Jerusalem.
Waymark Code: WM18A2
Location: South Dakota, United States
Date Posted: 02/20/2007
Views: 16
Aberdeen's new Grain Palace eliminated the need for a community halls, so the temple was built strictly for Masonic use. A $2000 pipe organ was brought in for use in the temple. The 1897 night of the official opening was a grand event, with around 700 attending a patriotic reception and dancing through the night. Sam Jumper, the first junior warden of the Lodge wasn't there for the reception as he was spending that winter in the south. The building was remodeled in 1916 drawing heavily on Mediterranean, Moorish and Romanesque Revival influences and remains virtually unchanged today.
Street address:
503 S. Main St
Aberdeen, SD USA
County / Borough / Parish: Brown County
Year listed: 1980
Historic (Areas of) Significance: Event, Architecture/Engineering
Periods of significance: 1875-1899
Historic function: Social
Current function: Clubhouse/ Social
Privately owned?: yes
Primary Web Site: [Web Link]
Secondary Website 1: [Web Link]
Season start / Season finish: Not listed
Hours of operation: Not listed
Secondary Website 2: Not listed
National Historic Landmark Link: Not listed
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Visit Instructions:
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