photographs of abandoned places #2

 Masonic Temple, Newburgh (Cleveland) O. 1916.

This is not angled for effect, but to avoid some wires and branches that the camera would rather focus on. The building is not to be occupied. There is no inkling that the building will be.

 Hiram, Tyrian, Widow's Son, Sendeth To King Solomon

The ornaments are yet in tact. The scroll work on the building's ornaments are still sharp. Supra is the keystone and its anagram (read clockwise). If nothing else it is something to look at. At one time, the fraternity had built many impressive buildings, with detailed rooms. Many tradesman had been freemasons. It was good for employment. Now, all such fraternal lodges have reduced memberships. They have an excess of buildings.

Without going into detail, the freemasons have much allegorical mythology. Some believe it to be historical. Their mythic hero is Hiram Abiff. Many Christian objections to masonry concern his resurrection story being imitatively blasphemous. There are three Hirams in the Old Testament, Abiff is a fictive conglomeration. So much of freemasonry cobbles snippets, and builds a story. Recently, the writer, Dan Brown became wildly popular using the same method. Some accept fiction as fact.

 compass and square of the (Grand) Geometer

 

Part of the many fictions, is the Egyptian influence. Notice the decorative molding, lintel, and jambs of the entrance.