For"1 \) T DIP i\ R T 1\'!1! N I U I"f 11- I I'd I lOR NATIONAL GRle STREET STATE North Carolina _DISTRICT _STRUCTURE NAME STREET &. NUM[3ER 219 CITY, TOWN COUHTHOUSE, _PUBLIC XXPRIVAH: __ .BOTH _'N __ I:SEING CONSIDERED Savinc;s & Loan , President. Lcville .tvlall -OCCUPIED x-UNOCCUPIED -WORK IN PROGRESS _YES RESTRICTED __ YES UNRESTRICTED _NO Z.\LSO NOTIFY REGISTRY OF DEEDS,ETC Wake County Courthouse STREET NUMBEfi Mall TITLE _ NU r FOR PUBlICA flON DISTRICT COUNTY Wake _AGRICULTURE _COMr,AERCIAL _EDUCATIONAL CODE 183 NTU _PARK __ PRIVATE RESIDENCE ___ ENTERTAINMI:N1 __ J1HIGIOUS __ GOVERNMFNT . _INDUSTRI,.\L _MILITARY Rice 629 Ralci9h, NC North Caroljna _.SCIf'NTIFIC _TRANSPORTATION rHER VACAN'r Rea Itors J un e 21 , 1976 _FEDERAL __ STATE _COUNTY x-xl0CAL DEPOSITOFlY FOR SURVEY RECORDS CIT'(' TOWN Raleigh ----- fAH North Carolina
Transcript
For"1
\) T DIP i\ R T 1\'!1! N I U I"f 11- I I'd I l~ lOR NATIONAL
GRle
STREET
STATE North Carolina
_DISTRICT
~UILDING(S)
_STRUCTURE
NAME
STREET &. NUM[3ER
219
CITY, TOWN
COUHTHOUSE,
_PUBLIC
XXPRIVAH:
__ .BOTH
_'N __ I:SEING CONSIDERED
Savinc;s & Loan , President.
Lcville .tvlall
-OCCUPIED
x-UNOCCUPIED
-WORK IN PROGRESS
_YES RESTRICTED
__ YES UNRESTRICTED
_NO
Z.\LSO NOTIFY
REGISTRY OF DEEDS,ETC Wake County Courthouse -~.~~--.-~---
STREET NUMBEfi
Mall
TITLE
_ NU r FOR PUBlICA flON
DISTRICT
COUNTY
Wake
_AGRICULTURE
_COMr,AERCIAL
_EDUCATIONAL
CODE
183
NTU
_PARK
__ PRIVATE RESIDENCE
___ ENTERTAINMI:N1 __ J1HIGIOUS
__ GOVERNMFNT
. _INDUSTRI,.\L
_MILITARY
Rice
629 Ralci9h, NC
North Caroljna
_.SCIf'NTIFIC
_TRANSPORTATION
rHER VACAN'r
Rea Itors
J un e 21 , 1976 _FEDERAL __ STATE _COUNTY x-xl0CAL
DEPOSITOFlY FOR
SURVEY RECORDS
CIT'(' TOWN Raleigh
-----
fAH
North Carolina
ENf
DEseRI
Df- JEKIORI\TED
_~HUII\jS
_ U i\IE>( POSE D
_W'<IAL TH1[[)
rUlE. 0
rHE PFlESFN r i~,Nl) OfHGIN,\L (~F KNOWN) PHYSICAL PPEAHANCF:
SITE
0/-'1E ___ _
Located on Faye tevi lIe Street> historical the old Masonic e Build is
's most important downtown cal in Lcrrn::~ of form and:3 Ie
erected round the turn of the century The axchitect Sull massing and Beaux Arts ornamentation to organize the massive seven-story tructure. This is a v(-rsati Ie formula for tall buildings bec()use it aprl if'S
the classical organization of a column-base, shaft, and capital to the building's
ior
The term was originally applied to a tall man but was soon coined to describe the new buildings which toucheu the sky. Certain such as an
sis on verticality altd structure, non-load bearing walls height above five stories, construction, and the employment of elevators for vertical trans-
, de f i.nc a buL1 di 119 a sal Th(~ Old Bu i l(lin<] po:; ~;c's:-:n~ these distinctive attributes and thus Cdn properly be termed a skyscraper.
The Old Masonic Building is composed of seven stories, with five on the Street elevation and seven bays on the Hargett Street elevation. It :is faced with Indiana lime~;tone up to the t.hirc1 floor and low bl"ick [or tileremainder of the skin. The rear facades are sheathed in stuccoed ~ed brick. The building is distinguished by a variety of stone finishes and a classical decorative skin The original pedestrian level of the Masonic Building was characterized by a rusticated stone veneer The Hargett Street facade contained a graceful arcade, while the ville street elevation presented the twin-arched entrances to the building. These elaborate openings were separated three wide-linteled bays of d windows, flanked
pilasters. '1'he decorative portals were clearly emphasized by balconies supported on ,(~c.ro] led con:301(,:] Dulbol1!c; tun1(~d baluuters carried Lhe b<llustradc~. 'I'11i:3 [i1
was "modernized" and lost forever in 1948
'1'he firs t and second stories are by wide cornice b,::md Thp sl:cond floor is sheathed in ashlar veneer, which is contrasted by five courses of rusticated slone. '1'his depa ture from the more in tricate textures of the level adds the visual weight necessary to "hold" the building to the street.. The fenestration of the second story, and indeed the maj of the building is a simple rectangular form divided by one vertical muntin The second-floor windows are outlineJ by a rUllning lintel mold which creates a strong horizontal band around the building. This element is surmounted another wide simple cornice which denotes the rise of the main II
of the building.
The third through sixth stories constitute the majority of the structure and thei similar treabnent mirrors the sameness of the offices withine Tbe windows are organized into vertical bands, divided by undecorated ma.ssive which rise unbroken in this uniform treated area. The central are capped hy stylized terra cotta Ionic capitals at the fifth floor. The piers continue one half story and join in arches which visually terminate the business sector of the building The corner piers and two
FHR~>R~ 300/\ (1 /78)
Uj'\lITED HER I Tl\GE
TATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE
ITEM NUMBER 7 PAGE I
additional on the Street facades are not by the tal element but to the top of the sixth floor; thus the corner windows of thi facade are rectangular, not arched in form. The end piers join at the edges of the buildinq to form snpportive corner posts. Th(2; terminat.ion of the shaft area is finalized a robust string course which follows the shape of the floor fcnestrCltion. l\not}wr cornice further :3C'pilrates the ::c;hdft from the remain licapital" story
This fined tory, reflecting the Masonic Hi'lll within resembles a Doric frieze in which the windows served as metopes and the dividing piers as
lyphs. lizec1 lasters flank the square windows a feature which recalls the; vertic,Ol1 eJemellts of tr lyphs. A wide flat frieze this space from the crowning dentillated cornice,which is surmounted by a crenelated parapet shielding the flat roof.
The decorative skin of the building is a rather two-dimensional interpretation of classical c1etai commonly favored by Beaux .Arts practitioners In addition, the deliberate use of the Greek orders on both the interior and exterior relates to
ir symbolic mean within the Masonic order. rrhus it is no coincidence that in the intericJr th(~ street. level is articulated in the Ionic order, the Hasan I s office floor in the Doric order rand tr.l.e most and symbolic room of all, the j\1(;cLing Room, in the CorillLhL.l1l Order. r;
The interior of the Masonic Temple Building consists of five basic parts: the basemen t con La in mcchan i c,~d cq 11 t, t he ~l ruullc1 floor COll tain il1<] tore'S I the
s(~cond fi fth floors containing offices v dnd the two-story Masonic Meeting room at the top. This sophisticated yet very Leal method of organizing a skyscraper called for the mo~;t elaborate dc,tail on 110 str0ct IJ'v()1 to a ~::;ense of hUfilnn scale contrasted against the exaggerated liftiness of the skyscraper itself These five ftJnctions clearly retlect("~J upon the 's fac...lde.
The floor original contained the obligatory corner bank. The interior of the bank wa:.::; de fined or lid t plastcl- c1ec()ra ion of the Ionic 'These
crown moldings, pilaster~, and tals added to the sense of delicacy and graciousness which the room ernana ted. 1\ r:;on temporary photograph shows the bank conn ter located along the north wall, with the bank vault behind. 6 'rile bankvs offices a second floor mezzanine which was visually divided from the main floor three large pan('.::ls of thirty~fL\lc :jITIiJll litJhl:::i, dnd by fluted L1Sl ('LS
Apparently the first tenants were very pleased with their new quarters, as a contemporar~
source remarked "The Raleigh Savings Bank is in the Masonic Temple Building and has the handr-:;omest offices in Raleigh. II 7
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UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATIOf\j AND RECREATION SERVICE
ITEM NUMBER PAGE
The second througll fifth floors contained approximately fourteen offices located on either side of a central corridor Each floor also had a restroom, two elevators inal elevators replaced) and a spacious stairway with cast iron ra in a fleur de lis pattern Each business typically had one office although sorne businesses combined spaces for a. wode area or a series of examination rooms. This flexibility of partitions is one advantage of reinforced concrete COD
structicm and allowed the building to accomodate changing businesses and changing times.
Each office is entered throuqh one-half glass door, beneath an etched s transom with imprinted office number. These rows of wel doors are perhaps the most evocative feature remaining in the building Each office is carefully but simply detailed 1"i ve~paneled connecting doors beneath plain arcflitraves are still intact in nearly every office, as are the paired double-hung sash windows, two unit-s to an Dffice. A delicate three-part picture molding encircles each room, while a one-foot baseboard surrowlds the floor which is sheathed in narrmv wooden floor boards over concrete slabs. The Masonic offices contained unique brass door scutcheons embossed with the mystic eye and the Masonic emblem.
After climbing an indeterminable amount of stairs one arrives with great pleasure and surprise i.n the magnificent two-story Masonic Lodge Meeting Room, which provides
grandiose conclusion for this classictl.l structure. All dccoratt , be it cr0wn moldings, capitals or columns, are of the Corinthian order, one of highest significance to the Masonic organization Massive plaster pilasters crowned with ornate capitals rise from the gallery levels to the ceiling, while two full-si pilasters articulate the stage on the eastern wall (The gallery itself is supported by posts) The large space is visually divided and actually supported concrete struc tural bf~ams runn i nq in both d.ircctions which appear to be plrlster pilasters. 'This coordination of pas t, pilaster! and beam embues the room vJi th a
sense of classical balance and graciousness combined with a modern sense of geometricality and perspective. Illuminated by two rows of windows the space possesses a sense of ility and airiness, futher amplified by the magnificient view afforded by the huilding1s height as well as the vcry real sensation of being seven stories above the ground.
1900 _COMMUNICATIONS _INDUSTRY _POLITICS/GOVERNMENT _ •. OTHER (SPECIFY)
_I NVENTIOI\l
SPECIFIC 1907--.190 f) t DERI Af~CH ITEeT
SIGNIFICANCE
The Iv1.asonic Bui (1907~1909) element of downtown s ficant to the urban concrete Char If'S !v1cMillan the seven-story the Sullivan-influenced
of
of , etc while the in the basement
until ter the end of World War II Thus it is remembered as a of the downtown
architectural character of dO'Nntown
A
c.
Associated with the twentieth
tIlt':: stab.:~ and
and !::,hows the of the
of the. tU1:n of the
and
the Masons the for
educators as it served as the
in the
Former Masons etc The for both
in North
300,D, (11/78)
UNITED STAlES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE
ITEM NUr,lIBER 8 PAGE 1
The News ~nd Observer Special Edition of June 6, 1907, proudly advertised the edifice at the corner of Fayetteville and Hargett streets as 'iThe Masonic Temple A Magnificen Building." 'T'he article further stated
This bui is heing erected at the co~ of Fayetteville and HargctL Street:::; and is to cost in the neighborhood of $120 000 It will be built of steel reinforced concrete the first building of this kind to be erected
n the talc v the l)ldns forl t lldvin(T been dl'dWIl up by j\1r Charles McMilLill r o ~ -a prominent architect
The Masonic Bui was probably the first reinforced concrete in North Carolina. The building was constructed of high-quality concrete which was utilized for the s skeleton of columns, 9irders, beam.s, floors, and roof rendering the building fireproof. Exterior walls were infilled with brick. The News and Observer's observation that the Masonic Temple Building was the first rein-forced concrete: building in North Carolina has been contradicted a 1903 Chamber of Corrrmerce publication which describes the dormitory at the Roman Catholic
as the Ufirst fireproof building here" This building, however was not a The marc sophisticated reinforced concrete " Building" in
Charlotte, North Carolina ~:,as built one year after the e)ld Masonic Temple Building.
Reinforced concrete was first utilized by L Ransome in the late nineteenth century :r{ansoY'n~ became the JUivotal figure in the development and design of this rna te:rial in the United Sta.tes. 'rhere many to the usage of :ceinfol,ced concrete ""hich include its relatively low cost, its fireproofing abilities, and its malleability 3 The synergistic relationship between concrete and steel is well defined in this contemporary article:
The practical meaning of this is, on the one hand, that a beam composed wholly of conCl.'ete is usually sable, since its low tensile streng th makes it uneconomica l, if not actual for it may be readily shown that, beyond a cornpar,ltively sh.ort span a concrete beam \"dll not support its OIt,Tn \veight On the at.her hand, on account of the cheaper stress furnished by concrete, an all-steel beam i,3 not so economical as a beam in ~"rhich the concrete furnishes the compressive stress and the steel furnishes the tensile strength. 4
FHR-~8~ 300A (11/78)
UNITI::D STlHES DI::PARTrvlEt~T OF TH[ INTERIOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION Al',lD RECRE/\TION SERVICE
lET ITEM NUMBE 8 PAGE 2
The Masons have been an important organization in North Carolina since 175:> when St John's Lodge No.1 was chartered in Wilmington, and active in since 1794, when William R. Davie served as the Grand Master of Democratic Lodge No 21. Casso's Tavern was used as a lodge room for the Masons who were mainly Revolutionary War veterans and foreigners who came to Raleigh to build the new city However Lodge No 21 was dissolved shortly afte~ the charter was granted because the two factions deb~ted incessantJ over religious and political convictions. A new charter was granted in 1799 and Hiram Lodge L..J"o 40 came into existence. On November 29, 1811, Theophilus HWl.ter d(:mated a lot on the corner of Morgan and Dawson streets; this thE:~ si t.e of the first Masonic
building, vlhich wa dedicated on June 24
the CivLl War another Ra:!.eigh lodge was born "In the twnult and confusion of 1864 in Raleigh a number of Masonic brothers decided one Lodge y Hirarn No., 40, could not nOlt! alone supply the Masonic needs of the community. A new Lodge was therefore petilion0d for, and the Grand with the of (l ChcH'lcr to v'JillialTI G" Hill Lodge No. 218 v which proceeded to hold its first me(~ting
18 1864." 10 A day member of this describes the of the Masonic order "It is an organization based on religious principles composed of dedicated individuals who seek to promote the fatherhood of God, the brotherhood of man, and the welfare of the world in I' 11
In the 1880's a movement was begun among the Masons to raise funds for the construction of a new but this effort was not real ized nuti the Cdr ly 1 <)00' :3,
\'I7hen construction began on the Masonic Temple Building 12 The building was financed both by individual lodges (which now included three in Raleigh, as Raleigh Lodge No. 550 was chartered January 1, 1900)13 and through traditional bank loans As the minutes from the William G. Hill Lodge attest
On November 22 1903 Brother John C Drewry, Past Master, of the Board of Control of the Masonic Bazaar, made a final report on that effort to raise funds for the Masonic 'l'emple. A total of $6,590 42 was raised but operating expense:~ reduced the net profit to $2 670.27 not. a mean sum fat" such a venture 'This account was credi ted to the 'remple FWVJ 14
GJ::-olmd was broken for the new bui rnid~ 1907 15 and was apparently ready for occupation by la-te 1909 Wh('::l1 a "Joint committee from the three Lodq-es was named t.O an elpctric Ma:l()cdC' for the' ()ui of tJ)(' huilclinq." !_6 'J'hr' in,~11 construction costs exceeded the lilews and Observer estimate by $12,500. 17 'l'he co~:;t finally ~vas $13 ,500 00. Construct ion expenses included $50 for a tJlasonic cornmi ttee to
00/\ (11/78)
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR HER I TAGE CON5l::.RVAT 1 O~·J A~JD REC!<t::AT ION 5ERV ICE
invest concrete construction, $36,000 for the Carolina Construction Company, $500 to the Southern Ha co install plumbing; $500 to ,James McMillan, $2,321.18 to Charles McMillan, architect" 18
site, $23,467.11 to Central Electric Company, $1000 to J. S.
construction superintendent, and
The new building w~s used by botll the Grand Lodge state Masonic organization and thE:' individual lodqes and can tai ned but h rentable conunercial Hasonic offices. This successful practice of combining rental space with Masonic offices wa~) often used throughout the Uni ted Sta tes The seven-story buiJ ding contained store fronts on the first floor, the Masonic Library and offices on the second floor, and Lhe [vldson' s Mee Ruom" on the top two floors 19 The remaining floors were typically rented i flS uran co cor'-Ire!.n if's, doc tors I and btJsines:::~IlK'n. 20 a local weather station also moved to the new building. 21 The first occl~ant of the corner storefront was the Ra Bank, which was located at I::.his site until the late 1920s The I"lorris Plan Indw:.;trial Bank leased the building next. This bank was liquidated in 1935 Land's Jewelers leased the spot for the next years, and durinq this time: the build vva.c;kllown as thc' Land f\nother early storefront was the Masonic Temple Pharmacy This became Brantley's Pharmacy in 1911 and remained in the building for the next f years 22
In 1946 the Masons sold the building to Land's Jewelry Store for $260,000.23
One month later Land s resold it to the New Georgelm who then leased the store back to Land's This sale reflected the Mason' lime dissatisfaction vii th their building According to L Polk Denmark, Masonic historian "Running discussion extending over months and even years a new Masonic Building would make its appearance at almost any meeting in the prosperous days of the early and mid-nineteen twenties. 25 In addition to the pa.rking problems in downtmvn Raleigh, and the growing membership, the local lodges also desired more autonomy from the state organization. 26 However, the Masonic organizations continued to lease meeting and office space in the buildin1 tIDtil 1951 when they moved into their new building on Glenwood AvenUE and Caswell Street 2
In 1948 the storefront level of the building received a moderrl geometrical steel and glass facade accented wi th mirrored columns and stylized let teri ng. The en1cranse t.O the building was also moved this time 28 In order to erect the new facade it was necessary to remove much of the original Romanesque entry facade The remodeling was designed by Raleigh architect F, Ca rterWillianls@ Mr. Wj lliams s offices had been in t-:he Md::.:;onic lJu11dinq clncl fl l\j~)L he mov(:Jd his offic8s to the' brilliantly Ii spclcions former "~1eeting ROOIn, r,l v\7here his office remained until 1961., aft.er which it V·las
used dn exercise cluJJ. 29
STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE
4
In 1962 the building was sold to Helen, Alexander, and then Benj amin v-leinstein and was owned by them until 1973, It/hen it was repossessed <.:md LOd1l0 JO Because and Loan did not want to market the building with active leases of the general neglect of the building, as well as the irrmledia-te downtown area, the few businesses left in 1973 soon moved to new quarters Today the classic skyscraper which contains some 30,000 square feet of office space and a
ficent two-story room on the top floor is vacant A contract. has been signed for purchase of the building by an investment firm that intends to renovate the structure.
Footnotes
1 Loren .Pa tr idge r " Area Architecture", (Class notes, University of California
, 1976).
2 Carl Conciit, the 20th (New York, Oxford University , 1961), p. 154.
0' p.lSl
4"Arnerican Architect and Building News," Vol 88 December 16, 1905, P 196
SInterview with R smith.
6Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, Raleigh Illustrated (Raleigh Edwards & Broughton Printing Company, 1910), p 20
7Ibid p 20.
8 News and Observer, Special Edition, leigh), June 6, 1907, P 81.
9
Dedicated Program for the Executive Office Building of the llorth Carolina Masonic Order, 1 16, l<)SfI) Pl!.:2 7, hc~reina tee cited as Dedication Program~
8-3110A (11/78)
ur\j r TtD 5T j\T[S DFP!\I<-TME~n OF THE T NTEF~ IOf<r-:[RIT!-\GF CO!'JS1-_RVATJON /\f\jD kECRc.ATIOt\j SERVlCE
10 L.
ITEM NUMBER 8 PAGE 5
M. 1864~1964 (Raleigh, Ed'idClrds a !leI as Denmark, vHll ia[(l G Hill
11 , 'h . Intervlew Wlt R. Gage Smlth, February 1979.
12 _ . . Dedlcatlon Program, pp. 22-27.
13 . . h Intervlew Wlt R. smi th .
rk, William G Hill, p. 24.
15 News and Observer, Special Edition (Raleiqh), p. 17
16 Denmark, p. 27
17 1 ' h hamb f 1<.a 81g C er 0 Commerce, Growth ('~L~~~H
18 CI~aJ)d , 1907, p. 85; 1908, p 60 Document given to a former
researcher by Charles Harris, a melnber and past Grand of Hiram Lodge #40.
wi tb R. ,smith
II's Raleigh Ci Directories, (Richmond, Va., Hill's Direct.ory Company, Inc.) 1909-1901, pp 5, 426, 440. 1911-1912, pp. 445, 458 1918, p. 54 1925, pp. 742, 768 1928, pp 689, 783 803 808, 818, 819, 822, 832, 841, 842. 1929, pp 37, 44 664 1932, pp. 504. 1935, pp. General pc:rusa 1 director"ies detennine of businesses located in buildinq.
8-30DA (11/78)
UrH TED ST /-I,TES O[P/\f< I ~/l[Nr OF TilE J NTER [OF? RITAGE CONSERVATION AND RECREATION SERVICE
I 1 f M N U M l, [ fl
2 , ~<lilliam Go Hill p. 27
2 i::oric!s in F'ootnote #20.
23 Hake County Deed Book
24 \A]ake County Deed Book 958, P 306
25 D~nmark, William G. Hill, p. 41.
26 . Intervlew \lith R. Gage Smith
8 rAG! 6
28 F. Carter \'7illiarns, Blueprints for ~1asonic Temple Building, February, 1947.
29 . . Intervlew wlth F. Carter Williams , 1979.
30 Wake County Deed Book 1495, p. 492; Book 2156, p. 371
31. . . 1 1 nterVl(2W Wl t 1. I I~ U, , 1979
Re ConcLete, v. 88,
Condi , Ox urd Un
t.hf~ 20t.11 Cerltl
OF NOMINAHD PROPERTY
U fM REFERENCES
Ci lots 11 14, 15, 16
STATE CODE
S T!, fF cnnE
,ja.net c.lncl Melry
Branch
ilber, Lee
COUN fY
CUUNTY
Cons Itallt (,
DATE
NDARIES
CODE
LOCH
DivisJon 0 Archives and March 14 197<:>
Street TELEPHONE
919-733-6545
THE EVALUATED SiGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHI TH STATE IS:
NATIONAL STATE LOCA.L
7611
held>v nominate this property lur Inclu:;;'lon In the NrHlonal Register and certify that It has evaluated according to the
criteria and procE:dures forth by the National Park Service
IllS fORle PRfSLHVA TlON (H r let R SIGNA IlJfU
Preservation Officer DATE TITLE
NATIONAL
I I f \ n 'j' 1',
8 UO/\ (11/78)
Uf\jITED STATES DEPARHJiENT OF THt::: INTER IOR HER 1 TAGE CONSE::RVAT 10f',J /\ND RlCRE,L\ T 1 OI'J ~;EKV 1
