San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-10-21
Beautiful Memorial Building
to House Washington Relics

! reproduced. while those valuabl,
relics of the Father of His Country
which are associated with his career
! as Master will have a permanent
/ home in this room.
Across the Memorial Hall from tn,
reproduction of Washngton's ole
lodge room. will be a States Memoir
ial Room where every state in the
Union Through its lodges, may hav,
an exhibit. tablet. or some display
characteristic of the Masonry of the
state and also or Washington.
The movement was started by
Observation-Disclosures lodge. 1t was
taken IN by the Masonic fraternity
of the country. and n national as
sociatlon. known as the George
Washington Masonic National Memoir
ial Association came into being. Its
first president was Thomas Shyrock.
who had been grand master of Mary
land for 32 years. He remained presi-
dent Of the Memorial Association
until his death. The present presi-
dent is Louis A. Watres of Pennsyl-
vania and ]. Claude KEEPER. Wash
ington. ID. c., secretary and treas
urer.
Memorial To Cost $4,000. 900.
The George Washington Masonic
National Memorial is primarily a
memorial to George Washington. the
man and the Mason. It's form is
inspired BY the great towers built
in the ancient days of Greece and
Rome TO mark the entrances TO the
harbors and from whose SUBMITS ever
burning flares that could be seen for
miles at sea guided 1.-THE mariner on
his way.
The Memorial will be constructed of
solid granite and will involve an out
lay of S4000.000.
The Memorial will be set upon the
commanding Arlington Ridge. on the
cminence known as Shooters Hill,
where the Masonic orders have pur-
chased b acres of land. Rising two
hundred and sixty feet on the hill
top it will be in plain view of most
parts of Washington. ID. C. 1t will
be passed by all who travel between
the city of Washington and George
Washingtons old home at Mount
Vernon. The edifice itself will be
surrounded by a series of artistically
planted landscapes. II will be reached
by broad walks and stone steps
ascending through seven successive
terraces. From the topmost colon
naded tower of the Memorial. visitors
will view over an expanSe of many
miles the region in which the I'M
mortal Washington passed great
part of his life. Indeed, Washing
ton once owned the very land upon
which the Memorial will stand. As
readers will recall. the National
Cemetery at Arlington is also situat-
cd on the beautiful Arlington Ridge.
The dimensions of the cdifice over
all will be one hundred and eighty
feet. in width b. two hundred and
sixty feet in depth. These dimensions
are exclusive of steps, terraces and
approaches which it will surmount.
but which from afar will be seen as
part of Il stately and beautiful archi-
tcctural scheme. adding appreciably
tn its apparent height. It's height TO
the summit of the covered observa-
ton platform browning the tower will
be two hundred and sixty feet.
The very heart and center OF the
Memorial will be great atrium.
seventy feet wide and one hundred
feet deep. which will form the Memor
ial Hall already referred TO. in arched
recess of which will he set the Mem
orial itself. IN imposing statue of
George Washington. This spacious
hall will rise to a height of sixty
four feet. ascending by clerestory
above the surrounding portion of the
building. II will be thanked by great
Ionic columns forty feet high and
surrounded h" number Of rooms
devoted to Masonic interests. ClCrc-
story lights above the roofs of these
environing rooms will admit the light
of day into the imposing main Mem
rial Hall.
Mural Paintings on Walls.
Tile cleretory lights will be Of
amber glass. flooding the great Mem
orial Hall with n rich warm light. On
the walls beautiful mural paintings
executed by some of the NEST famous
mural artists of the present day. will
be representative of the life Of Wash
n2ton. Inc granite used in the con-
Struction of the superb edifice will,
too, have very delicate warm tone.
Indeed. the entire Memorial will have
the warmth and richness that is char
acteristic of the life Of Washington.
be INTELLECTUALLY expressed in n
stately six column pOrtico of pure
Greek DOric design. contrasting in
terestinGly with the plain unbroken
side walls of the Masonic rooms. The
Memorial Hall will be reached through
the pOrtico by gradual steps. From
behind these mighty fluted columns as
he enters or prepares 10 leave the
htr al . Inl, IL lx.
country spread for miles in a panor-
ANA beneath him.
Rising above the imposing Memoir
ial Half and forming Il second story
Of the tower will be 4 museum room
to house the many memorabilia of
Washington and his time already in
possession OF Alexandria lodge and
which will be asSurcdly be added TO
90 o11itinnaI roIicS ORC I,pofoJ nr