Open House and Celebration at Historic Masonic Temple

Friends Group Invites Public for Tour of Historic Building

May 16, 2017       Leave a Comment
By: Stephen Kent

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The Historic Masonic Temple in downtown Bay City is a jewel in a community already loaded with historic buildings. The red sandstone building was constructed in 1893 then burned ten years later in 1903. Funds were immediately raised and the structure was rebuilt using the original plans. The Temple reopened in 1905. In May 2016, the Historic Masonic Temple was added to the National Register of Historic Places with state level significance.

Today the building stands next door to the larger and better-known Consistory, which was built in the 1920s and is home to the Scottish Rite Masonic Lodge. In 2005 the Bay Arts Council bought the old Temple from the Joppa Lodge Masons with the idea of saving the building and using it for arts related purposes.

In 2011, the Bay Arts Council formed the Friends of The Historic Masonic Temple as a separate 501(c)3 organization charged with the task of developing a purpose for the building and funding sources to support it. In December 2016 the "Friends" formally took ownership of the Temple and became its own independent group.

On Saturday, May 20, the "Friends" group will throw open the doors and invite the public to tour the building and learn about the plans for the future. Eric Jylha will present a program on the past, present, and future of the building at 11:00 AM and again at 1:00 PM. Visitors who wish to support the efforts will find opportunities to get involved and share their ideas.

Visitors will also hear about the growing number of groups and programs that call the building home. For the last ten years, the most visible program has been the annual Haunted Temple, a theatrical Halloween haunted house run by Bay County students. That event is the primary fundraiser for the Temple.

Other programs include the Face the FX special effects makeup classes, the Midnight Monster Movies film series, and the Ma-SONIC Boom 60' rock concert. The newest addition to the Historic Masonic Temple family is the Vanishing Elephant Players, a black box theater troupe.

Other groups who have used the Temple include the Hells Half Mile Film and Music Festival, the Patchworks Art and Music Festival and the Bay Music Foundation.

After the Celebration, you'll have a chance to experience the Temple in ACTION as the Midnight Monster Movie film series presents the silent classic "The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari" at 9:00 PM and again at Midnight. The monthly film series shows the 3rd Saturday, January through September, and costs a mere TWO dollars admission. Concessions are available.

For more information, go to www.facebook.com/FriendsOfTheMasonicTemple

Send e-mail to friendsOfTheMasonicTemple@gmail.com


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Stephen Kent
Steve Kent and his family have lived in Bay City for 40 years. He is VP of Technical Services at MMCC which produces MyBayCity.Com. Kent is active in many Bay City civic organizations. More from Stephen Kent

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