Masonic Temple
Why it's listed
Masonic Temple, a five-story fraternal clubhouse at 125 W. High Street in downtown Springfield, was built between 1924 and 1927 on a steel frame and faced in smooth-cut Bedford stone and blonde brick. Howard Dwight Smith designed it, with Miller & Reeves as associate architects. The cornerstone was laid in October 1924, and the Grand Lodge of Ohio dedicated it in January 1927 after a cost of nearly $1,000,000. Inscriptions, carved Masonic symbols and two Corinthian columns mark the front. Inside are a first-floor ballroom, four lodge meeting rooms on the third floor, a fifth-floor ballroom with a painted star ceiling, and a basement with a bowling alley. Original windows, furniture and light fixtures largely remain. The building was recognized for its link to social history, as home to the city's oldest fraternal organization and its charitable work, and for architecture, as an intact example of an urban Masonic Temple. It remains in use as a meeting hall.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant for social history as the home of the city's oldest fraternal club and its charitable work. It is also significant in architecture as an intact example of an urban Masonic Temple, containing ceremonial meeting rooms, a ballroom, club rooms and dining rooms. It was designed by Howard Dwight Smith.
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 08001195, listed December 17, 2008. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 125 W. High St., Springfield |
|---|---|
| County | Clark County |
| Listed | December 17, 2008 |
| Reference number | 08001195 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1927-1958 |
| Architect / builder | Howard Dwight Smith; Miller & Reeves |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Classical Revival (Neo-Classical Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a Masonic meeting hall; the form says the interior and exterior retain historic integrity, and lodges were still moving in as of 2007. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.92321, -83.81328 (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 08001195.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6783763
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.