MBA Building

The MBA Building is an eight-story structure with granite cladding on the ground floor and terra cotta facades adorned with pilasters and sash windows. Inside, the building features a marble-walled lobby with Ionic pilasters and retains numerous Classical Revival architectural details throughout its interior spaces.

Built between 1916 and 1917, the structure served as headquarters for a fraternal organization that served its membership across the country. The building's completion marked the peak of growth for this type of mutual benefit society in early 20th-century America.

The building served as a gathering place for the community and hosted major public celebrations that brought people together to witness its grandeur. The ornate interior spaces reflect the importance that local residents placed on this institutional center.

The structure is located in downtown Mason City and stands out clearly from neighboring buildings along the main street. Visitors can view the exterior details from the sidewalk at any time, though interior access depends on current operating arrangements.

The building stands as one of the few surviving early office structures of its type in the region, still displaying its original terra cotta exterior with decorative cartouches. Its presence in the city reminds visitors of a period when fraternal organizations played a major role in local communities.

Location: Iowa

Architects: Charles E. Bell

GPS coordinates: 43.15167,-93.19889

Latest update: December 14, 2025 17:03