Masonic Temple, building in Casper, Wyoming

The Masonic Temple is a four-story light-colored brick building on a corner site in downtown Casper, Wyoming, resting on a raised basement and topped by a crenelated parapet. Windows run along the west and south sides; the north side is blank, and the east rear facade carries fire escapes and a few windows. Vinyl replacements keep the one-over-one look of the originals.

The Masonic Temple was built in 1914, during the boom triggered by the Salt Creek Oil Field, for Casper's Masonic lodge. Local contractor G.A. Ukensky built it to a design by Casper architect Homer F. Shaffer at an estimated cost of $40,000. By 1924 the lodge counted 533 members. The first-floor ballroom was converted into a lodge room in 1964, and a small orchestra stage was enclosed.

The building's ballroom and banquet hall were rented out for public gatherings, so the temple also served the wider Casper community beyond its lodge meetings. By 1924 the lodge counted 533 members, a sign of how quickly the fraternity grew during the Salt Creek oil boom.

Access to the building is usually by appointment or during special public events rather than daily walk-in visits. Check ahead before planning your visit to see when tours or viewings are available.

The architect, Homer F. Shaffer, practiced only from 1912 to 1915 before moving into furniture sales, then car sales in Cheyenne after 1926, and later ran an electrical contracting business in Alamosa, Colorado. The temple, built by local contractor G.A. Ukensky for an estimated $40,000, is essentially as he designed it.