Watertown Masonic Temple
Why it's listed
Watertown's Masonic Temple, at 240 Washington Street, is a three-story masonry and steel building in the Neoclassical revival style. Its front has a Greek-inspired portico of six fluted Doric columns under a triangular pediment, faced in gray glazed terra cotta made to resemble ashlar. Architect Charles E. Dewey drew the plans, and Fred A. Caswell built the temple between 1914 and 1917 at a cost of about $250,000. It replaced an earlier Masonic building on Washington Street, and it was dedicated in November 1917. Inside, concrete ramps take the place of principal stairways and lead to a two-story lodge room with balconies, a stage, original backdrops and a pipe organ. The building is listed as a locally significant example of a style that is uncommon in Northern New York and for its role as the home of the city's Masonic orders. It also shows the wealth and standing of the Masons in early twentieth-century Watertown.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the temple is an important local example of Neoclassical revival architecture, with Watertown's best full-scale Greek portico and a style that is rare in Northern New York. It is also the headquarters of the Masonic Order in Watertown and reflects the order's prosperity and prominence in the early twentieth century.
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 80002629, listed January 23, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 240 Washington St., Watertown |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | January 23, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002629 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1914-1917 |
| Architect / builder | Charles E. Dewey, architect; Fred A. Caswell, builder |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as a fraternal organization building; the terra cotta facade is deteriorating in places, and the interior has undergone few if any changes. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.97304, -75.91134 (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 80002629.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7974502
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.