Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
In January 1915 Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Grand Forks, N. Dakota Masonic job came in early and furnished a lot of work for the boys.” In the past, I have erroneously stated that the scenery was delivered in 1914. I based this date on Moses’ Masonic resume, where he listed the Grand Forks Scottish Rite scenery as a 1914 installation; that was likely the year when the contract was negotiated as work started at the beginning of 1915.
I first visited the Masonic Temple in Grand Forks when all hell broke loose. What I mean is that the hell drop ripped in half and I had to piece it back together. It was a fun project that prepared me for a Pasadena Scottish Rite project, their crucifixion scene also ripped in half. I am getting quite good at repairing this particular type of damage.
Since my first visit to Grand Forks, I also evaluated the scenery collection twice; the second time was after a fire. The Grand Forks Masonic Temple has a history with fire. In 2014, I received a call from about possible smoke damage to the Scottish Rite scenery collection. A fire had started in the basement and smoke filled the stage area. Miraculously, the fire was put out before reaching the stage area, but the scenery became covered with a residue.
The first mention of a fire that partly burned the Grand Forks Masonic Temple was in 1903. On Jan. 8. 1903, a special message to the “Star Tribune” reported, “At 10 o’clock last evening the new Masonic Temple was gutted by fire. The fire originated from an explosion of gas in Spriggs Bros. store on the first floor. Damage to the building, $5,000; Spriggs Bros., $1,500; C. A. Rhinehardt, hardware, first floor, $2,000 by water, fully insured.
The Masons recovered, and by 1910, two stories were added to the Grand Forks Masonic Temple (Bismark Tribune, 19 June 1910, page 5). On Nov. 8, 1911, the “Grand Forks Herald” announced “Many Masons in the City. Scottish Rite Reunion Brings Them Together – Under Charter Hereafter” (page 5). The article noted, “There are a large number of Masons in the city attending the reunion of the Scottish Rite bodies, which commenced yesterday and continues till tomorrow. Work in the several bodies is being given. The fact that the Grand Forks Scottish Rite lodges were recently granted charters by the supreme council is the cause of added interest in the present as from now on the local bodies will operate under a regular charter rather than under dispensation, as in the past.”
On Jan. 18, 1912, fire destroyed the interior of the Grand Forks Masonic Temple. Fire broke out in the basement of the A. B. Rheinhart hardware store, located in the Masonic Temple building (Courier Democrat, Langdon, ND, 25 Jan. 1912, page 2). The fire was supposedly started from spontaneous combustion in the paint storeroom of the Rheinhart hardware store. The Masonic Temple building was practically a total loss, with the lodge bodies having lost all of the furnishings. The loss of the building was estimated at $50,000, with the lodges’ bodies losing $10,000 worth of properties. Four days later, the Grand Forks Scottish Rite bodies opened their annual mid-winter reunion in the Elk building, with a class of eighteen taking the degrees. The “Grand Forks Herald” reported, “The Grand Forks Masons were compelled to do some rapid work as a result of the destruction of their home last Thursday night, but they were able to get into shape so that the reunion was commenced on schedule. Immediately the Scottish Rite bodies complete their work the Shriners will hold a ceremonial session.” What a resilient group! By 1913, the Grand Forks Scottish Rite was meeting at the Kem Temple, home of the Shrine (Oakes Times, 2 Oct. 1913, page 7).
On June 24, 1915, the “Courier Democrat reported, “Masonic Temple Dedicated. New Structure at Grand Forks Considered Perfect. The Grand Forks Masonic temple costing more than $150,000, was dedicated by grand lodge Masons of North Dakota. Rev. J. K. Burleson of Grand Forks presided and W. L. Stockwell of Fargo made the dedicatory address. Grand Forks’ new temple is regarded as the most complete and perfectly appointed Masonic structure in the Northwest outside of the Twin Cities” (page 2).
That same year, the “Dickinson Press” announced a new charitable endeavor by Scottish Rite Masons in Grand Forks (Dickinson, ND, 10 Oct 1915, page 4). The article reported, “In Grand Forks the Scottish Rite Masons have started a movement for a free children’s clinic at which all the needy and deserving children of the county are to be given medical attendance free of charge. Why is not this a good move for Dickinson? There are a few diseased and crippled children in every community who could be cured of illness and physical defects if the physicians would band together and give their services. It is believed that they would if their attention was called to the matter, and in this way a number of unfortunate children would get a fair start in life.”
To be continued…
