Corner Stone Medallion for the
Detroit Masonic Temple
This medallion was minted for the Corner Stone
Laying Ceremony of the Detroit Masonic Temple on September 18, 1922. The
finished Temple was dedicated three years later on November 25, 1926. It
is still the largest Masonic Temple in the world standing 14 stories tall with
1,037 rooms and some twelve million cubic feet of space!
The first shovel of dirt was
turned on Thanksgiving Day 1920 and the Corner Stone was placed on September 18,
1922. George Washington's own working tools were brought from Virginia to be
used for the ceremony.
The Temple was formally dedicated on Thanksgiving Day, 1926. Thousands gathered
for the formal ceremony and consecration by the Grand Lodge of Michigan.
There are seven Craft Lodge Rooms - all having different decorative treatments,
the motifs of decoration being taken from the Egyptian, Doric, Ionic,
Corinthian, Italian Renaissance, Byzantine, Gothic and Romanesque. The rooms are
all true to the period. All of the art work throughout the building, especially
the beautifully decorated ceilings was done under the personal direction of
famous Italian artists. There is also a Royal Arch room, and a Commandery
Asylum.
The Cathedral has a seating capacity of 1600 and its fully equipped stage with a
width of 64 feet from wall to wall and a depth of 37 feet from the foot lights.
The Cathedral is a beauty spot of the Temple, made rich by carvings and color
work which is most effectively carried out in the ceiling.
In the center portion of the Temple is located the auditorium or public portion
of the structure. In this section of the building on the third floor mezzanine
is the mammoth drill hall, comprising 17,500 square feet of open floor space.
The drill hall is used by Detroit Commandery. As of 2006, the Drill Hall
is also the home of the Detroit Derby Girls Roller Team. This drill hall is
equipped with one of three floating floors in the United States; that is, the
entire floor is laid on felt cushions. This type of construction provides more
or less give to the floor which tends to relieve the marchers.
Immediately under the drill hall is the main theatre. The Detroit Masonic
Theatre is one of the finest public halls in the United States, having a seating
capacity of 4404. Because of its arrangement, there is a very intimate contact
between the audience and stage. A great deal of careful study was given to the
acoustical treatment of this room which has produced an auditorium where the
hearing qualities are perfect from every seat. The stage of the auditorium is
the second largest in the United States, having a width between walls of 100
feet and a depth from the curtain line of 55 feet.
A special "Thank You" to Brother
Johnny T. Asher for submitting pictures of his medallion!
