Copyright © 2020 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett
In 1924 Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Closed a contract at Pittsburg for some new drapery at the Shrine.” Moses was referring to the new Shrine Temple in Pittsburg, Kansas. The Mirza Temple featured an auditorium and galleries with a seating capacity of 2,500.
On August 25, 1924, the “Parsons Daily Sun” included a picture of the new building and announced, “Mirza Mosque As It Nears Completion” (page 6). The article described, “The mosque of Mirza Temple of the Mystic Shrine at Pittsburg which is being built by the Shriners of southeast Kansas, over which the temple has jurisdiction is nearing completion. The structure is being erected at a cost of over $400,000, of which the Shriners in Parsons pledged a generous amount. The building of the mosque started about a year ago and it is expected the formal opening will take place sometime this fall. The structure is three stories high, covers a half block square is built of dark red brick and trimmed with Carthage building stone. When competed it will have adequate facilities for all the Shrine activities. The auditorium will seat between 2500 and 2600 and the stage, is large enough to care for the elaborate ceremonials of the Shrines. The city of Pittsburg will have access to the various community affairs.” The article went on to state that there were about 3,000 Shriners in the district which includes southeastern Kansas. Mirza Temple also had a 52-piece band whose members came from all over the area, including Iola, Parsons and Coffeyville. By the late 1920s, Mirza Temple also had a group named the “Agitatin’ Annies,” a woman’s auxiliary of the Shrine that performed and marched in parades.
On November 13, 1925, the “Chanute Weekly Tribune” included a picture of the new building with the description, “the above building has a frontage of 167 feet on Pine and 142 feet on Fifth Street in Pittsburg. In its interior is an auditorium for conferring the Shrine work, also for entertainments, including the productions of the largest theatrical companies on the road. The most wonderful electrical effects produced in great theatres of New York City can be reproduced by the Temple equipment. Various offices, patrol and band rooms, dining hall accommodating 1500 people, dancing floor, kitchens, etc. are also in the building” (page 6).
On November 27, 1925, the “Chanute Weekly Tribune” reported, “Many Chanute Shriners sojourned to Pittsburg yesterday to attend the dedication of Mirza Temple’s new mosque, costing half a million dollars. The dedication ceremonial was held at 10 o’clock in the morning and in the afternoon a class of 114 novices began their pilgrimage over the burning sands at the largest ceremonial session ever held by Mirza Temple” (page 4).
To be continued…
