page_title: Masonic Temple
section_title: Heyday and decline
hierarchical_section_title: Masonic Temple / Heyday and decline
caption_attribution_description: English: The Detroit Masonic Temple (built in 1922) in Detroit, Michigan, United States, is listed on the US National Register of Historic Places (NRHP). It was designed by architect George Mason.
context_page_description: A Masonic Temple or Masonic Hall is, within Freemasonry, the room or edifice where a Masonic Lodge meets. Masonic Temple may also refer to an abstract spiritual goal and the conceptual ritualistic space of a meeting.
context_section_description: The 1920s marked a heyday for Freemasonry, especially in the United States.  By 1930, over 12% of the adult male population of the United States were members of the fraternity.  The dues generated by such numbers allowed state Grand Lodges to build on truly monumental scales.  Typical of the era are the Dayton Masonic Center and Detroit Masonic Temple (the largest Masonic Temple in the world).
  The Great Depression hit Freemasonry as hard as it hit the rest of the world, and both local Lodges and Grand Lodges turned away from erecting buildings and towards helping those in need. World War II saw resources focused on supporting the War effort. While there was something of a resurgence in the 1950s, the anti-establishment attitudes of the 1960s and 1970s affected membership numbers even further. Lodges began to close and merge, with those that could no longer afford to maintain their buildings selling these to developers. Many Masonic Temples and Halls were converted to non-masonic uses including completely commercial spaces, hotels, night clubs, and even condominiums.  Many lodges have returned to renting rooms, and there is even a small movement calling for Freemasonry to return to its roots and open their Masonic Temples in taverns.
caption: The Detroit Masonic Temple, Detroit, Michigan. The world's largest Masonic Temple.
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