Part 682: The Oakland Scottish Rite, 1896
For the past several installments I have focused on the development of the degree productions at Scottish Rite stages in Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma Territory. Little Rock, Arkansas, is often cited as the first, and most notable Scottish Rite. The Little Rock Masons remodeled an old synagogue and installed a stage. It was called the Albert Pike Cathedral.
Interesting, in 1896 another old synagogue was purchased and remodeled by the Oakland Scottish Rite bodies. As in Little Rock, the renovation of the synagogue included the installation of a stage with new scenery to confer degrees. The building was located of Fourteenth Street, between Webster and Harrison Streets and dedicated at the Oakland Scottish Rite Cathedral on September 21, 1896.
The first paraphernalia used by the Oakland bodies was purchased from the disbanded Lodge of Perfection in Virginia City, Nevada. (Oakland Tribune 12 Dec. 1927, page 16). In 1927, one of the original thirty-eight charter members from the Oakland Scottish Rite from Oakland, California, was still living when the third stage for Oakland was constructed in 1927. Of the Oakland Scottish Rite and his experience in 1883, Hugh Alpheus Kendall, explained, “The work was new to the officers, the paraphernalia was crude, and the meeting place was not suitable for the conferring of degrees inasmuch as the paraphernalia had to be set up before the conferring of the degree and put away immediately after. To remedy this a committee was appointed to look for a home of which we would have the exclusive use.” The old paraphernalia was purchased from the Scottish Rite bodies in Virginia for $100.
On June 22 1896, the Oakland Scottish Rite building committee recommended the purchase of a property general known as the Jewish synagogue. At the time, it was currently occupied by the ACME athletic club. A committee consisting of William Frank Pierce (Inspector General), Charles L. J. W. Pierce and N. W. Spaulding were appointed with the power to act. A corporation was formed under the corporate name of the Masonic Cathedral Association, representing the Oakland Lodge, Scottish Rite of Free Masons. The articles of incorporation were filed on on July 31, 1896 (The San Francisco Examiner, 1 Aug 1896, page 7). The capital stock was $15,000, of which $500 had been subscribed by Directors W. Frank Pierce, C.L.J.W. Pierce, John Martin, D.E. Fortin and G. B. Daniels. The newspaper announcement noted, “The synagogue property, corner of Fourteenth and Harrison streets, will be built upon by the association and the structure will be used as headquarters and lodge rooms by Oakland lodge.”
The actual address was 305 Fourteenth Street. The “Oakland Tribune” noted, “the building was purchased, repaired, painted and furnished in a very modest way” (Oakland Tribune 12 Dec. 1927, page 16). At the time of its dedication, it was the only Scottish Rite cathedral west of the Rocky Mountains. When the Oakland Scottish Rite bodies outgrew their home at 305 Fourteenth Street, the building was used by the Improved Order of Redmen, becoming known as a Redman’s Hall. Unfortunately, the building was razed and there is now a parking lot were the first Scottish Rite in Oakland once stood.
There is a lovely article on the history of the Oakland Scottish Rite, it was originally written by Arthur R. Anderson and published as a booklet for the Oakland Scottish Rite Diamond Jubilee in 1958. The text is posted to the Oakland Scottis Rite website: https://oaklandscottishrite.com/history/
To be continued…
