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Building History

Fresno's Masonic Lodge #247 borrowed money to build this first assembly space, begun in 11/1885 and completed by 06/1886. The Fresno Masonic Temple stated of this first building: "This new three-story building was 100' by 55', with business offices on the first, meeting rooms for non-Masonic organizations on the second floor, and a lodge room and banquet room exclusively for Masons on the third floor. The work was contracted to Carl, Crowly & Abernathy of Stockton, California at an estimated $19,199 to build. Later, it was reported that the cost of the new building was approximately $30,000. At the time, the California Masonic Code required that any lodge building constructed would be at least two-stories, with the lodge room on the upper floors to better protect the secrets of the lodge. This Masonic Temple Building also housed a number of businesses; attorneys, real estate agents (Hughes & Sons Real Estate), insurance agents, a drug store (Smith Brothers) and a furniture store." (See Las Palmas-Ponderosa Lodge No. 366, "The History of Masonry in Fresno," accessed 05/18/2017.) The Fresno Masons were forced to sell the building during the 1890s to a San Franciscan, Jeff G. James, but managed to continue to rent the third floor for organizational use.

Demolition

The Masonic Temple #1 burned to the ground on 08/06/1893; the ground floor's walls were all that remained. The Fresno Masons' Las Palmas-Ponderosa Lodge No. 366 web site indicated: "The Fresno Republican reported that Jeff G. James of San Francisco, owner of the Masonic Temple Building, suffered an estimated loss of $30,000, and was only insured for $10,000. Smith Brothers Drugs, a building tenant, had an estimated loss of $3,000. As the Masonic Temple Building was home to a number of other fraternal organizations, the following losses ensued; Fresno Masonic Lodge No. 247, $1,500, insured for $750; Pythian Sisters, $300, no insurance; Hermann Sons, $400, insurance $200; Knights Templar, all uniforms and paraphernalia, $9,000, insurance $1,500; Royal Arch Chapter, $1,000, insurance $600; Arion Singing Society, $350, insurance $150; Order of the Eastern Star, $700." (See Las Palmas-Ponderosa Lodge No. 366, "The History of Masonry in Fresno," accessed 05/18/2017.)

PCAD id: 21254