Lawrence Masonic Temple - Lawrence's Downtown Historic District - Lawrence, Kansas - NRHP Historic Districts - Contributing Buildings on Waymarking.com

(1911)

Designed by K.U. art professor William Griffith and built by John T. Constant, this imposing, three-story Egyptian Revival style building has a massive temple-front façade distinguished by the twin hollow stone columns set between large stone sections of enframing wall (“distyle in antis”). The columns represent papyrus bundles, with horizontal bands approximately two-thirds up representing the binding cords. The wide, overhanging cornice is also typical of the Egyptian Revival style, with long, slender leaf forms curving vertically, with half-round torus molding beneath. The rectangular building is constructed of brick and stone, with a full basement under the building and the sidewalk on the northside. The primary (east) and north elevations are symmetrical, and feature a stone frame with brick walls recessed behind. In addition to the previously noted columns, the east elevation also has wide enframing piers. Set behind this is a brick wall with entry doors midway between the basement and the main floor. The doors are double with a lintel of stretcher brick. The main floor and second story each have three 1/1, double-hung windows with brick sills and lintels. The brick portion of the north elevation is windowless on the main and second stories, as part of the Masonic tradition. The basement windows have been partially closed down with concrete blocks, and presently contain four glass blocks. The brick walls are set behind five stone columns, with two end piers. Each column is composed of a stack of five limestone slabs with deeply scored joints. The widely overhanging cornice is repeated on the north elevation.