Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 887 – Anton T. Kliegl and Freemasonry

Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett

Anton T. Kliegl was a Freemason.

I discovered this fraternal connection while looking for information about Al C. Field’s “The Land of the Midnight Sun” spectacle. A 1925 newspaper reported, “Frank Bliss attended the annual theatre party and dance given by the Lincoln Lodge of Masons at Hotel Astor, Tuesday evening. Mr. Bliss was the guest of Anton Kliegl.”  Lincoln Lodge of Masons (Lincoln Lodge No. 3, F. & A.M.) was formed in 1792 and is located in Wiscasset, Maine. Still an active lodge, the “Wiscasset Newspaper” reported, “When the Lincoln Lodge of Masons formed in 1792, Maine was still part of Massachusetts” (17 Dec 2014)

As I processed the following information, my first thought was, “Of course he was a Mason.” I think back to the many other theatre personalities who belonged to the fraternity, including Sosman, Volland, Noxon, and the list goes on. Of all the big movers and shakers in early twentieth century technical theater, the question should be: “Who wasn’t a Mason?” and not “Who was a Mason?”  Theatre manufacturers and suppliers needed these fraternal connections to secure new contracts; the Masons built some of the best theaters in the early twentieth century and appeared to possess almost unlimited funds. Who would pass up that connection; a leg up on the competition?

I decided to see if I could dig up a little more information about the Kliegl’s Masonic affiliations and immediately hit the jackpot. My “jackpot” was the form of a blog post.

On April 3, 2012, “Inside and Abandoned Masonic Hall in Tappan, NY” was posted to Scouting New York. Photos attached to the article showed the decaying German Masonic Home in Tappan. Nestled in a picturesque setting, it was located across the road from the German Masonic Park. The park is still home to Traubenfest, Tappan’s Oktoberfest. Yes, lots of German heritage in Tappan. Masonic artifacts sometimes hold more value for those who are not members of the Fraternity. I stumbled across the Scouting post because Anton Kliegl funded to construction of the German Masonic Home chapel in Tappan, New York. After his passing in 1927, stained glass windows with portraits of Anton and his widow were installed as a memorial in 1928. In 1928, Kliegl’s widow was the sole recipient of his estate, valued at $305,756. Today’s equivalent purchasing power is approximately $4,600,000.  

The stained glass windows have since been restored and re-installed in the United Brothers Lodge #356 in Whitestone, New York, according to “Masonic News, Ninth Manhattan District (Summer Issue 2014, page 2). Interestingly, in 1914, the Masters Association (Stuhlmeister-Vereinigung) and Charity Ball Journal were founded. By 1939, the Gala Charity Ball was held in the Hotel Astor in New York and celebrated the “Silber-Jubiläum” (Silver Anniversary). The 1939 issue of the Charity Ball Journal was co-dedicated to the founding of the Master’s Association and to Anton Kliegl. This means that Kliegl’s involvement with the Fraternity was not minimal, he was extremely active.

The same Masonic building was also the featured in an episode of “Abandoned,” available on YouTube. Here is the link as it says a lot about the current state of many Masonic buildings: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O1Lss9sUjE&feature=youtu.be The general public is always intrigued with the Masons and their spaces, in some ways more so that the members that abandon these grandiose facilities. Watching this YouTube video reminds us of how much has been squandered; the lost history.

Here’s a little background on Tappan, New York. It is steeped in history, especially revolutionary events. As an interesting aside, on October 2, 1780, British Major John André was captured by American soldiers, tried, convicted and hanged as a spy in Tappan. André had plotted the surrender of the American fortress at West Point with American General Benedict Arnold and was capture while returning to British lines.  André was also a scenic artist and I spent countless hours as an undergraduate student tracking down his theatrical ties.

German Masons in Tappan purchased 20 acres in 1872 for approximately $14,000.  Although construction did not commence until 1906, the complex was completed by 1909.  This was at the same time that the Kliegl Bros. were really making a name for themselves and achieving some financial success and discretionary income for charitable endeavors. The facility closed in 1983, less than eight decades after it was opened.  This structure, however, may have a second lease on life. According to Steven T. Scwartz, president of Noble Ninth Incorporated, a Manhattan-based Masonic company that owns the property now, renovation work to transform the facility to serve community senior citizens was in the works. After viewing photographs and video of the dilapidated complex, it really is a long shot.

As with many fraternities, care for aged members, their widows and children were once one of the many benefits to belonging to a fraternity, hence the creation of Masonic Homes. This was not unique to Freemasonry. It was an early form of insurance for members that guaranteed their loved ones would be cared for after they passed away. Masonic homes were never intended as profit making ventures. Times change.

To be continued…