The second annual party of the three Masonic Orders was held on Friday May 13, 1921, again at the armory. About 100 couples attended the event which included dance numbers first with musical presentations. A lunch was served at midnight with dancing to Miller’s five-piece orchestra continuing until 2:00.
Many of the Monroe Masons attended a picnic held for the district at Bluff View Park on Wednesday afternoon, July 27. A drenching rain drove the picnic indoors, but “jolly games of fortune wheel for candy and doll prizes, contests of bowling, marksmanship, and swinging the sledge provided entertainment; the mingling of fraternal neighbors from the various cities made up an afternoon and evening of fine enjoyment.”
An article in the Monroe Evening Times on March 16, 1922 stated that a Monroe Masonic Temple Association had been formed that would seek funds for a home for the the various Lodges. A banquet was held the previous evening with 120 eating supper. R. D. Gorham, Frank A. Shriner, George M. Luchsinger, O. H. Kundert, John H. Elmer, Mrs. W. G. Bear, Mrs. Fred J. Bolender, Robert L. Rote, and J. J. Stewart were elected as directors. They planned “to press forward to the desired goal of a Masonic home, which shall be a center for all the Masonic activities of Monroe and neighborhood.”
Three Monroe men, Leo Lewis, Frank Drake, and Ray T. Bast, received their third master Mason degrees on May 24, 1923 with 150 Masons present. The work started at 4:00 that afternoon, had “a delightful dinner” served at 6:30; the evening ended about 11:30.
Even though the Masons had a lease for several more years on their quarters in the White Block, they purchased the Payne Block on the north side of the Square on January 25, 1926 for $9,430. It was purchased from Ed Willard Payne and his sister, Elizabeth Miller, heirs of Frank Payne. The building had been built by their grandfather, Calvin Payne, in 1892. The two storefronts were occupied by Universal grocery and Charles Kohli’s jewelry store at that time. Karlen’s Bakery would lease the west store in 1927. The Masons had planned “to remodel the upper floors into modern quarters, which will include men’s and women’s club rooms.” They expected that their new quarters would be completed by the time the lease on the White Block expired,.
Sol Levitan, Wisconsin state treasurer and former Green County resident, “returned to Monroe to speak at the Masonic party held as a booster session for the new quarters financial campaign” on February 12, 1926. Levitan was still a member of both Lodges that he had joined 40 years earlier. He was a Jewish man and said, “Monroe people were good to him in those early days and he has no desire to transfer membership from here.” A delicious.supper was served to 150 at 6:30.
The articles of incorporation for the Monroe Masonic Temple Association were revised in June 1926. This organization was to provide for, to acquire, to construct, to equip, and to maintain a Masonic Temple and Masonic Temple property” in Monroe. The Temple was to be used for business and Lodge purposes exclusively by the Masonic Orders: Smith Lodge #31 F. A. M., Palestine Chapter #21, Royal Arch Masons [organized in 1860], Monroe Commandery #48 Knights Templar [chartered in 1923], and St. Omar Chapter #90 Order of Eastern Star [organized in 1896]. If they had any extra funds in the treasury, they were to be devoted “entirely to charitable and benevolent purposes.”
They had considered construction in 1930 to put a new, modern front on their building. They set up a committee on March 12 to engage an architect to prepare the plans for the improvements. It was decided in January 1931 to defer any changes because of the cost of $43,498.
It was announced on March 27, 1935 that the contracts had been let to erect the current building on the north side of the Square with the cost expected to exceed $40,000. L. S. Wagner & Son was the general contractor with Frank Buehler having the heating and ventilation contract. The plumbing contract went to Charles Niles and the wiring contract to Louis E Buri. Hubert Schneider, a 1915 Monroe High School graduate and employee of Starck and Schneider architects of Madison, had drawn up the plans.
At that time local Masons felt “that few temples have been erected anywhere with this little indebtedness on the property at completion as here. Subscriptions were generally made over a period of years and the building fund grew.” By purchasing the Payne Block and renting out the storefronts as well as the offices and apartments on the second floor, the Masons probably saved money for the construction as well as holding their spot on the Square for the building.
The Karlen bakery moved out of the Payne Block in early May and the razing of the block started soon afterwards. Not much was seen in the newspapers about the construction of the new building. It was reported on June 29 that the steel skeleton was beginning to get some “clothing.” The Bedford Stone front was going up and the brick work was rising at the back. “Heretofore visible work had been confined to erection of the steel framework, unusual construction in Monroe, and the placing of wire forming on which flooring will be poured.”
The Temple had a new front another month later. Cap stones of solid white Bedford were being placed on July 26. The stone was cut in modern design with the Masonic emblem and presented an imposing appearance. Side walls and interior work were going forward rapidly to bring about completion by early fall. The building, which was 44’ x 100’ and totally fireproof, was completed later that year at a cost of $60,000.. They had borrowed $8,000 for the construction, but only used $6,500.
More will be shared in the final column about the building and the open house held.
— Matt Figi is a Monroe resident and a local historian. His column will appear periodically on Saturdays in the Times. He can be reached at mfigi48@tds.net or at 608-325-6503.
