Building History

In 1947, it was recommended by the California Freemasons that the Grand Lodge of California erect a new temple adequate for fraternal requirements.

The Memorial Temple Committee recommended the purchase of the Nob Hill property located at 1111 California Street. The thoroughly new and modern building was formally dedicated on September 29, 1958.

Several unique aspects of the building are the Memorial Sculpture topping the east end of the California Street wall. The sculpture is dominated by four huge figures, each 12 feet high, representing branches of our Country’s Armed Forces. Adjoining these a frieze of 14 smaller marble figures depict a titanic tug-of-war in the global struggle between the forces of good and evil. Below this portrayal is a dedicatory inscription, “dedicated to Our Masonic Brethren Who Died in the Cause of Freedom.” This relief was crafted by renowned California artist Emile Norman.

Emile Norman also crafted the one-of-a-kind mosaic window that dominates the entrance foyer. This historical window, fabricated in the endomosaic process, incorporates thousands of bits of metal, parchment, felt, linen, silk, natural foliage, thinly sliced vegetable matter, shells and sea life, plus 180 colors of stained glass. The lower portion of the frieze is comprised of actual gravels and soils of the 58 counties of California and the Islands of Hawaii. The window depicts the history of the wayfarers and the seafarers that helped found California Freemasonry.

For ways in which you can help contribute towards the preservation of this artwork, please contact our Director of Development Doug Ismail, dismail@freemason.org