Masonic Temple and Lodge
Why it's listed
Two Masonic buildings stand side by side in Alameda's central business district, at the southwest corner of Park Street and Alameda Avenue. The older is the Masonic Temple, a massive three-story brick building designed by Oakland architect Charles Mau and built by J.H. Cory. Construction began in May 1890, the corner stone was laid that June, and the building was finished around January 1891 at a cost of $31,000. Its Victorian Eclectic design includes a mansard-roofed tower, a cross gable, brick buttresses, tall arched windows and carved stone details. Inside are a banquet hall, a meeting hall and murals of Yosemite. Beside it is the new Lodge, built in 1927 to designs by Edwin Symmes, with a metal frame hidden behind cut ashlar masonry and Spanish Renaissance ornament. The two were once entered through one arched doorway, and the passages between them are now sealed. The nomination values them for their distinctive architecture within downtown Alameda and for their ties to local Masonic history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the buildings are significant for their architecture and ornamentation, which are unusual in Alameda's downtown. The old Temple is an ornate, large-scale Victorian design by Oakland architect Charles Mau, and the new Lodge by Edwin Symmes contrasts with it in style. The buildings also link to the history of the Masonic Order in Alameda and the East Bay.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 82002153, listed March 25, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1329--31 Park St. and 2312 Alameda Ave., Alameda |
|---|---|
| County | Alameda County |
| Listed | March 25, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002153 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Old Temple: Charles Mau, architect; J.H. Cory, builder. New Lodge: Edwin Symmes, architect. |
| Architectural style | Old Temple: Victorian Eclectic (the first nomination called it High Victorian Gothic); New Lodge: Spanish Renaissance |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The old Temple's upper floors were used only intermittently in recent years, while the ground floor was rented for commercial use. Most original features are intact, though the roof and second-story windows have been replaced. Passages between the two buildings have been sealed. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Within district | Park Street Historic Commercial District |
| Coordinates | 37.76325, -122.24394 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 82002153.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6783793
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.