Back in June of 2018, the assembled Freemasons of the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin overwhelmingly voted to take ownership of, and to preserve and protect the Madison Masonic Center. The Masonic Center is home to fourteen Masonic bodies and the Scottish Rite Children's Dyslexia Center, and it has been the meeting place for the Wisconsin Annual Communication for many years. The beautiful beaux arts interior features two lodge rooms, a grand ballroom, dining room, offices, lounges, the Robert Monteith Masonic Library and Museum, and the large auditorium that seats approximately 1,000.
The resolution that was adopted a year and a half ago was to re-establish a 501c3 non-profit foundation and transfer the ownership of the building to the new corporation supported by the Grand Lodge. To achieve initial funding, they adopted a two-year mandatory assessment on all Wisconsin Masons of $10/year.
The Grand Lodge has just levied the first year's assessment this week (letter below - click to enlarge).
Like so many other landmark Masonic buildings across the country, the Madison Temple was part of the 'City Beautiful' movement that swept the nation after the 1893 Chicago Exhibition.
The Temple was erected just a few blocks away from the Wisconsin State Capitol building in Madison between 1923 and 1925. The impressive and imposing neo-classical temple is located in Madison's Mansion Hill Historic District and adjacent to the National Register-listed Langdon Street Historic District, an area of stately homes that that was transformed in the 20th century into "fraternity row" for the nearby University of Wisconsin.
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