Jackson C. Gott designed the Masonic Temple, this prominent building in downtown Richmond. Designed by Jackson C. Gott and built during 1888–1893, this Richardsonian Romanesque structure reflects a design by Gott that was one of seventeen submitted in a competition. At the time of its construction, some hailed it as 'one of the "most magnificent examples of modern architecture in the South,"' and its National Register nomination later called it the finest example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture in the state.
Its history is civic and ceremonial: it was used for a 1905 function attended by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt and served the Masons until 1971. In 1982 the Richmond Foundation for the Arts acquired the Temple with the intention that it serve as an arts center for the region. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983, the building has since housed a catering venue, offices, and apartments.
Stand here and let the weight of those dates and uses settle in: an imposing presence built during 1888–1893, a stage for presidential ceremony, a Masonic home for decades, and later reborn for arts and everyday life. Its Richardsonian Romanesque façade opens onto the downtown streets before you.