Here is what happens when a private individual thinks more of a Masonic treasure than our own members, and preserve what we throw away. From the Old House Dreams website comes a real estate listing for a unique property in Little Falls, New York, built in 1914, and recently modernized.
Incredible Building! Former Masonic Lodge in perfect condition. Over 12,000 square feet of space! The walk-out basement, now a ceramics studio, has the wood floors of the original bowling alley! The Main Level is now 3000 sq. ft. of dramatic living space with a large, spacious, open floor plan, including beautiful oak trim and arched openings. One bedroom is in the round turret, the kitchen is amazing with extensive cabinets and huge windows. The dining room and living room are wow rooms! An auditorium with stage and commercial kitchen take up the third floor.
The fourth level houses the Masonic meeting room, complete with domed ceiling and pipe organ. Fabulous property for an artist, an architect, a dancer, an entertainer, wedding planner, and the list of possibilities goes on and on. Make it your Castle today!Yes, the lodge room is still up there, in magnificent condition. William Moore thought this Temple noteworthy enough to mention it in his book, Freemasonry, Ritual Architecture, and Masculine Archetypes. It was designed by William Neil Smith with a Templar Commandery drill hall/banquet room (we served "banquets" then, not cold spaghetti on paper plates with plastic sporks).
Even the former Commandery's glass-front uniform lockers are still there in the Armory. All still preserved, but now with a new living space, bedroom, and modern kitchen on one floor. It is artistically beautiful, and architecturally unique.
And it used to belong to us.
It doesn't anymore.
It's priced at an almost embarrassing $325,000, and I'll make a bet you couldn't build a new steel pole barn architectural eyesore in a corn field for that today.
(H/T Chad Bromley)
