Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 12/14/1982
NRHP Listing Date 02/10/1983
NRHP Reference Number 83003305
Richmond’s Masonic Temple, designed by Baltimore architect Jackson T. Gott and erected in 1888-93, is a brick-and brownstone extravaganza of the American Romanesque Revival, a style made fashionable by Boston architect H. H. Richardson. The weighty edifice, with its mass countered by a large corner tower, delicate corner bartizans, and a multiplicity of windows, was the largest building put up by Virginia Masons by that time and brought a big-city quality to Broad Street. In addition to the Masonic meeting rooms, the building accommodated a department store and cultural facilities. Its main reception room provided a grand setting for many balls, concerts, and banquets, most notably a banquet held for President Theodore Roosevelt in 1905. Abandoned by the Masons for a number of years, the Masonic Temple building has since been restored for mixed use.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: May 16, 2023
