See Our PhotosPasadena Masonic Lodge
The Pasadena Masonic Temple is a monumental two-story rectangular building completed in 1927 that was designed by architects Cyril Bennett and Fitch Haskell in the style of Beaux-Arts Classicism. The building is situated on a corner lot and therefore has two prominent facades. Appropriately designed to resemble a Greek Temple, the concrete and stucco building utilizes the basic Greek design component of base, column and capital. Although all four facades reflect the tripartite concept, the west facade is the most architecturally detailed.
The Temple holds an envious position for it was dedicated to the hope that the future may learn from the past. With its marble and hardwood floors, its arched ceilings, its beautiful lines of Roman Gothic architecture, it cannot be equaled. The Ballroom with its high ceiling, impressive in size, alive with grace and warm charm combined in elegant style, stands waiting for all occasions.
The Temple is a rare example of the Beaux-Arts style in Pasadena, which was popular in Southern California after the 1915 Expositions in San Francisco and San Diego. Although it departs from the California-Mediterranean theme of the nearby Pasadena Civic Center, the Masonic Temple harmonizes well with the scale and stature of the civic buildings that were once so closely tied to Euclid Avenue.