The Scottish Rite building in Fort Scott was a testimony to the rapid expansion of Freemasonry during the early twentieth century. Kansas was once home to seven Scottish Rite Valleys that included Salina, Wichita, Kansas City, Fort Scott, Fort Leavenworth, Topeka and Lawrence. Each Valley had a Scottish Rite theater that included a Sosman & Landis scenery collection, originating from 1901 to 1924. The state was extremely active in the staging of degree productions and innovative settings for degree work.
When the Fort Scott scenery collection left the state in 2015 for Minnesota, it was not the first Masonic scenery collection to leave its home and it certainly won’t be the last. The Fraternity in Kansas has been hit hard as their membership continues in a downward spiral. Thomas Frank’s 2004 book “What’s the Matter with Kansas? How Conservatives Won the Heart of America” places Kansas at the forefront of many National movements over the past century. Activities in this particular state often signaled a shift in social or public policy for the rest of the country. If we look at the track record, Kansas may be leading the collapse of the Fraternity and liquidation of all Scottish Rite facilities.
When I was on site for three weeks during November of 2015 it was my home. I became familiar with every nook and cranny in the building, noticing memories from a grand past. It is worth revisiting some interior photographs that depict the beauty of the space that once held one of the most premiere Scottish Rite scenery collections in the United States. I wish that with the closing of each Scottish Rite theater, the interior decoration would be carefully documented for future study.
I think of the general lack of information about the interiors of many earlier eighteenth and nineteenth century lodge rooms. There are precious few photographs or illustrations as little is left beyond written records. I wonder if history is repeating itself as Masons begin to walk away from their century old investments without a backwards glance. As Masonic lodges close their doors, or move to a new facility, the members often fail to record the details. Departing Masons fail to document the unique construction, architectural styles or decorative ornamentation of buildings that have been their fraternal haven for decades.
Sure, we can find postcards or a few photos depicting some Masonic interiors on eBay, but it is not the same. Let’s look at some of the history and architectural details that were treasured by Masons in Fort Scott. In 1900, the Scottish Rite Masons of Fort Scott purchased the old Huntington House hotel from J. D. Hill. Like many other Valleys, this building was extensively renovated and dedicated on April 28, 1904. M. C. Lilley outfitted the theatre, subcontracting all of the painted scenery production to Sosman and Landis of Chicago.
By 1920, the Fort Scott Scottish Rite membership expanded to 2,500 and plans were proposed for a new structure on the same site. They entered into a negotiation with the Western Insurance Company where the north half of the building would be reserved for the insurance company. The Western agreed to buy bonds to finance the two structures and later rent the ground floor offices. The southern section (Scottish Rite) was constructed first during the spring of 1923 and it was not until 1929 that the northern half of the building would be completed.
Designed in the Spanish Revival Style at a cost of $500,000, the concrete building was decorated with brick veneer on the sidewalls and stone/terra cotta on the east and north facades. In the mid-1940s, the Scottish Rite encountered financial difficulties, forcing the Western to foreclose on the bonds. At this time, the Scottish Rite retained title to the southern building and the Western acquired the northern building. By 1947, the Western completely remodeled their section and moved the main entrance. The theater on the second floor of the Scottish Rite remained unchanged – a lovely time capsule.
The fate of the Fort Scott Scottish Rite has yet to be announced. The fate of the Western Insurance Company is in the hands of Flint Hills Holdings Co. This management, development, and investment group with offices in Kansas City, Dallas, and Lawrence, Kansas, transformed the old Western space into “35 luxury affordable units for seniors 55 years of age or older.” The company purchased the building at a tax sale for $1 and asked the City of Fort Scott to provide $1 million in financial assistance to help fund the environmental abatement, as well as the demolition of the non-historic building located directly to the west. In 2015, the estimated cost for the 2016 opening was estimated at $5 Million dollars. There are still some units available if anyone plans on moving to Kansas.
To be continued…
