The Knox Building - Enid, OK
Posted by: hamquilter
N 36° 23.792 W 097° 52.910
14S E 600272 N 4028511
Stories abound regarding "George" who regularly walks the halls of the Enid Symphony.
Waymark Code: WME098
Location: Oklahoma, United States
Date Posted: 03/16/2012
Views: 7
The building at 303 W. Broadway just west of the downtown area is a five-story brick building which once housed the Masonic Temple on the fourth and fifth floors. It is currently the home of the Enid Symphony Orchestra, with rooms and banquet hall available for private events.
The Enid Buzz online newspaper relates the story of George, who has been seen and experienced in this building over the years. Their account reads as follows: "Of its six stories, the top two were built as a Masonic Temple, housing a large concert hall, banquet hall, and theatre, as well as ancillaries. At one time it was the largest and most active Masonic Temple in the region. It`s doors were abruptly closed in 1946 for reasons unknown. Between 1946 and 1981, no one was allowed onto the top two floors of the building. For years the owner refused to sell the building. Of the stories “The Lights,” are the best known around the city of Enid. The director of the Enid Symphony had an encounter with George the elevator repairman walking the halls."
From the website of P.P.I. Pananormal Investigations:
"The Knox Building was built in 1921 and was used as a Masonic Temple. The building was closed during the 1940s and sat vacant until some time in the 1980s, with the fourth and fifth floors remaining vacant until the 1990s.
Doug Newell, music director of Enid Symphony Orchestra, was more than willing to fill me in on the accounts from people who have had strange experiences in the building. First, Newell shared a personal experience.
“I heard someone come down the stairwell one day and I went to see who it was,” said Newell. As he reached the stairwell, Newell came upon a short man in a blue work suit with a cigar in his mouth. Newell offered up a kind hello, but the stranger never responded. He continued down the stairs, the sound of his footsteps disappearing the instant he did.
Remembering the name George on the monogram of the man’s blue work suit, Newell called the elevator company and thanked them for sending George to work on the elevator in the building. The answer Newell received was not, “You’re welcome.” The answer Newell received was the elevator company had not sent a repairman."
Legend has it George was once a worker in the building during the early days. He met his untimely death when he fell down an elevator shaft. There are many other accounts of footsteps, doors opening and closing by themselves and even of sheet music sent flying across the stage.
So, if you are ever in the Knox Building and can’t seem to make the elevator work, that’s common. No matter how often they replace the equipment, one of the elevators refuses to operate consistently.