Phoenix Masonic Temple Celebrates Centennial Downtown Anniversary with an Open House
A remarkable Downtown Phoenix organization is celebrating the 100th anniversary of laying its building’s cornerstone this year. Few groups can accomplish longevity without a strong foundation, and the Freemasons of Arizona Lodge No. 2 have done just that with their Phoenix Masonic Temple.
“I will never forget the first time I walked into that building and down into the dining room; I felt like I was coming home,” says Bo Buchanan, Master of Arizona Lodge No. 2. “Immediately, I knew that I belonged there. Just a warmth and familiarity in the building engulfs you when you enter.”
Arizona Lodge No. 2 was formed in 1879 and had several temporary meeting places before Egan Construction started building the Phoenix Masonic Temple in 1925. Famed local architectural firm Lescher and Mahoney designed the $160,000 Neo-Classic-style brick and concrete structure at 345 West Monroe Street, completed in 1926. The ground floor includes a 4,000-square-foot auditorium.
The 46,000-square-foot building was placed on the City of Phoenix Historical List in 1996 and has been refurbished in stages since 1999. “We have a reputation for tearing down and rebuilding here, and it makes sense as that's what the ‘Phoenix’ is all about - rebirth, starting new,” Buchanan says. “But when people find out our building is 100 years old, they almost always respond, ‘That's great, how can I help?’ People want to preserve history in Phoenix when given the opportunity.”
The building has some enviable features. “I am completely enamored with our elevator,” Buchanan says. “It is a cage-style elevator with accordion doors that close, and getting in is like stepping back into time.”
Also impressive is the vaulted ceiling in the Blue Room, the lodge’s meeting space. “It is about 20 feet tall,” Buchanan says. “The immenseness of the space makes everything we do in that room seem regal.”
The Phoenix Masonic Temple has benefited from Downtown Phoenix’s revitalization. Besides the Freemasons, the building hosts a variety of lodges and organizations throughout the week. “The revitalization brought more foot traffic past us, and many people who join lodges at our temple do so after first discovering our building and becoming curious,” Buchanan says. “It has helped people realize what a gem this building is, with large open interior spaces that are great for music, theater, or large gatherings. We did our first event with Live Nation this year and hope to do more in the future.”
But there’s a downside to Downtown Phoenix’s popularity. “We now have to pay to park on the street,” Buchanan says. “And a busy downtown means parking is more complicated for us as we only have a small number of spaces.”
Despite their best efforts to educate the public, Freemasonry is a magnet for conspiracy theories. "Sometimes people can be very mean,” Buchanan says. “We get some crazy emails accusing us of doing one thing or another. We've even had people join us for dinner and then tell us that they want us to stop following them, or they ask how we can help make them rich. We try to dispel the myths, but it's hard.”
Perhaps the best way to dispel those rumors is to meet Freemasons while touring the historic building, which is usually by appointment. However, they are holding an open house during the cornerstone rededication on Saturday, February 8, at 10 a.m. Arizona Lodge No. 2 also invites men interested in Freemasonry to join them for dinner on Tuesday nights at 6 p.m.
“Over the last eight years, we have been working hard to restore various parts of this building and preserve it for the next 100 years,” Buchanan says. “Come see our work!”