Masonic Temple and Lodge, Masonic temple in downtown Alameda, California.
The Masonic Temple and Lodge are two adjacent buildings in downtown Alameda. The 1890–91 temple at 1329–31 Park St has Victorian Eclectic brick piers rising above the roofline, a south roof tower and an arched stone entrance with carved doors. The 1927 Spanish Renaissance lodge at 2312 Alameda Ave has carved entrances, cornices and window surrounds, two side-by-side lodge rooms, and a top-floor kitchen and dining room.
The Victorian Eclectic temple at 1329–31 Park Street was built from 1890 to 1891 for Oak Grove Lodge #215, which had helped build the city's first school and the First Methodist Episcopal Church. The adjacent Spanish Renaissance lodge at 2312 Alameda Avenue followed in 1927, adding a ground-floor parking lot and an elevator to all four floors. Both buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 25, 1982.
The Large Lodge Room holds a built-in wheel of stained glass emblems in the symbolic East; a turn changes the room from a Blue Lodge setting to the emblem of other frequent renters. An organ loft has a trap door to a Room of Contemplation, and a passage with hidden doors serves Appendant Body ceremonies. Two stained glass windows removed from the Park Street face before the Temple's sale now hang in the Small Lodge Room.
The Temple is located in downtown Alameda and functions as an active Masonic Lodge with regular member gatherings. Visitors should contact the Lodge in advance to arrange a tour, as the building may have restricted access times or specific days available for guided visits.
The Large Lodge Room holds a built-in wheel of stained glass emblems in the symbolic East; a turn of the wheel changes the room from a Blue Lodge setting to the emblem of another renter. Behind the organ loft, a trap door opens onto a Room of Contemplation, and a passage with hidden doors links the lodge rooms for Appendant Body ceremonies.
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