Masonic Lodge Building (Kirkland, Washington)
Encyclopedia
The Masonic Lodge Building, also known as the Campbell Building and first known as the French & Church Building, is an historic building located at 702 Market Street at the corner of Seventh Avenue in the historic commercial core of Kirkland, Washington
. It was built in 1890-91 by Kirkland businessman and postmaster Edwin M. Church with pioneer Harry D. French as part of the land boom following Peter Kirk's proposal of building a huge steel mill
on the east side of Lake Washington
. In 1922, The building was purchased by Kirkland Lodge No. 150 of the Free and Accepted Masons
, which still occupies the building's upper level.
The building is notable for its sturdy brick construction and Victorian elements including a wooden cornice and window caps. It remains basically unchanged except for new aluminum frame windows installed by the lodge in the 1960s to replace the original wood double hung ones. On August 3, 1982, it was added the National Register of Historic Places
.
54' x 79' with the southwest corner cut at a 45° angle to create a corner entrance. The
exterior brick is laid in the common bond pattern.
The wall design on the street level of the west facade is alternate brick piers and 8" round,
cast iron columns one story in height. The window and door treatments are typical storefront
with large wood sash windows with transoms and doorways without decoration. There is frieze
and cornice
'molding' above the window transoms at the second floor level terminating at the northwest and southeast corners in a decorative bracket
and triangular ornament. The second floor of the west facade is given a pier effect by the use of vertical sections of raised brick at regular intervals between the tall rectangular windows. Original double hung windows have been replaced with Aluminium frame windows. Above these windows is a plaster entablature
head topped by scrolls flanking a triangular ornament.
There is a continuous decorated metal parapet
with dentils, brackets and wide paneled
frieze crowning the building , terminating at the northwest and southeast corners in a decorative bracket similar to those mentioned previously. Below the frieze are several rows of
brick corbel
ling. The decorative parapet and frieze form a smooth curve around the angled corner of the building. Just below the frieze at this point was a plaster conch shell decoration which has been missing for several years, most likely due to deterioration. The corner has recessed nine foot wooden double doors at the street level, now sheathed in brushed copper
.
and spent his early years all over the midwest, serving in the 1st Iowa Cavalry during the American Civil War
. After living in Kansas for several years, he and his family traveled west by train to San Francisco where they boarded the steamer Pacific. This steamer would sink off of Cape Flattery
on its next voyage, killing all but one aboard. Church arrived in Seattle in May 1875 where he briefly lived near Auburn
. His family finally settled on a large plot of land in Houghton
on the eastern shore of Lake Washington by the end of 1876. During this time Church worked as a bricklayer and a mason while his family tended to crops. He eventually sold most of the property to other settlers, excluding the plot for his house, which he rebuilt in 1880 and expanded in 1886.
Harry French, whose father, S. Foster French had brought them to the area from Maine
in August 1872, was one of the earliest settlers in what would become Kirkland.
Kirkland, Washington
Kirkland is a city in King County, Washington, United States. It is a suburb of Seattle on the Eastside . The population was 48,787 at the 2010 census makes it the 9th largest city in King County and the 20th largest city in the state...
. It was built in 1890-91 by Kirkland businessman and postmaster Edwin M. Church with pioneer Harry D. French as part of the land boom following Peter Kirk's proposal of building a huge steel mill
Steel mill
A steel mill or steelworks is an industrial plant for the manufacture of steel.Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon. It is produced in a two-stage process. First, iron ore is reduced or smelted with coke and limestone in a blast furnace, producing molten iron which is either cast into pig iron or...
on the east side of Lake Washington
Lake Washington
Lake Washington is a large freshwater lake adjacent to the city of Seattle. It is the largest lake in King County and the second largest in the state of Washington, after Lake Chelan. It is bordered by the cities of Seattle on the west, Bellevue and Kirkland on the east, Renton on the south and...
. In 1922, The building was purchased by Kirkland Lodge No. 150 of the Free and Accepted Masons
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, which still occupies the building's upper level.
The building is notable for its sturdy brick construction and Victorian elements including a wooden cornice and window caps. It remains basically unchanged except for new aluminum frame windows installed by the lodge in the 1960s to replace the original wood double hung ones. On August 3, 1982, it was added the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Present and past appearance
This is a two story rectangular brick building with a flat roof. The building measures54' x 79' with the southwest corner cut at a 45° angle to create a corner entrance. The
exterior brick is laid in the common bond pattern.
The wall design on the street level of the west facade is alternate brick piers and 8" round,
cast iron columns one story in height. The window and door treatments are typical storefront
with large wood sash windows with transoms and doorways without decoration. There is frieze
Frieze
thumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
and cornice
Cornice
Cornice molding is generally any horizontal decorative molding that crowns any building or furniture element: the cornice over a door or window, for instance, or the cornice around the edge of a pedestal. A simple cornice may be formed just with a crown molding.The function of the projecting...
'molding' above the window transoms at the second floor level terminating at the northwest and southeast corners in a decorative bracket
Bracket (architecture)
A bracket is an architectural member made of wood, stone, or metal that overhangs a wall to support or carry weight. It may also support a statue, the spring of an arch, a beam, or a shelf. Brackets are often in the form of scrolls, and can be carved, cast, or molded. They can be entirely...
and triangular ornament. The second floor of the west facade is given a pier effect by the use of vertical sections of raised brick at regular intervals between the tall rectangular windows. Original double hung windows have been replaced with Aluminium frame windows. Above these windows is a plaster entablature
Entablature
An entablature refers to the superstructure of moldings and bands which lie horizontally above columns, resting on their capitals. Entablatures are major elements of classical architecture, and are commonly divided into the architrave , the frieze ,...
head topped by scrolls flanking a triangular ornament.
There is a continuous decorated metal parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
with dentils, brackets and wide paneled
frieze crowning the building , terminating at the northwest and southeast corners in a decorative bracket similar to those mentioned previously. Below the frieze are several rows of
brick corbel
Corbel
In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
ling. The decorative parapet and frieze form a smooth curve around the angled corner of the building. Just below the frieze at this point was a plaster conch shell decoration which has been missing for several years, most likely due to deterioration. The corner has recessed nine foot wooden double doors at the street level, now sheathed in brushed copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
.
The Builders
Edwin Church was born in New YorkNew York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and spent his early years all over the midwest, serving in the 1st Iowa Cavalry during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
. After living in Kansas for several years, he and his family traveled west by train to San Francisco where they boarded the steamer Pacific. This steamer would sink off of Cape Flattery
Cape Flattery
Cape Flattery may refer to:* Cape Flattery * Cape Flattery , between North Direction Island, South Direction Island and Three Islands...
on its next voyage, killing all but one aboard. Church arrived in Seattle in May 1875 where he briefly lived near Auburn
Auburn, Washington
-Parks:Auburn has an extensive system of parks, open space and urban trails comprising 29 developed parks, 5 undeveloped sites under planning, 2 skate parks, 2 water roatary parks, and over of trails , and almost of open space for passive and active recreation.-Environmental Park:The Auburn...
. His family finally settled on a large plot of land in Houghton
Houghton, Washington
Houghton is one of the lakeside neighborhoods of the city of Kirkland, Washington. Consisting mostly of upscale, single-family homes, Houghton overlooks Lake Washington and is one of the wealthier districts of the Eastside suburbs of Seattle. The village was named for Willard Houghton, a local...
on the eastern shore of Lake Washington by the end of 1876. During this time Church worked as a bricklayer and a mason while his family tended to crops. He eventually sold most of the property to other settlers, excluding the plot for his house, which he rebuilt in 1880 and expanded in 1886.
Harry French, whose father, S. Foster French had brought them to the area from Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
in August 1872, was one of the earliest settlers in what would become Kirkland.
The Building
In the spring of 1889, Church purchased the Kirkland grocery store of J.J. Tompkins and became a businessman. Soon afterwords, he became Kirkland's postmaster in June 1890. With the arrival and big plans of Peter Kirk in late 1890, Church joined forces with Harry D. French, son of one of Kirkland's earliest pioneers, to construct a $12,000 brick building at the intersection of Market Street and Picadilly (now Seventh Avenue) to accommodate their businesses as well as the post office. The building's walls were reported to be thick enough to support an eventual third floor. In later years, E.A. Brooks operated the grocery store in the building and lived upstairs with his family. In the 1920s a Mr. Evans operated a variety store in the southern half of the building for a time while the other storefront was used as a band practice space. In the later 20's the ground floor was used for automotive storage. The corner store was later used as a cabinet shopThe Masons
In 1922, Kirkland Lodge No. 150 of the Free and Accepted Masons of Washington purchased the building for their meeting space, moving from an older wooden building a block away. The Masons remodeled the space by replacing the roof and removing most of the partition walls on the second floor. They rented out their meeting space for use by several other Masonic lodges. When a garage building was built to the north of the Masonic Lodge Building, they used its north wall as a bulkhead, weakening it and necessitating the construction of a retaining wall. Under direction of the Lodge, the basement, rendered useless by time and dampness, was filled with 15,000 yards of pea gravel and capped with a layer of cement that replaced the original floor in 1954. The then vacant store rooms have been occupied ever since.See also
- Peter KirkPeter Kirk (businessman)Peter Kirk was a British-born American businessman who founded the City of Kirkland in King County, Washington, United States. The town is named in his honour....
- Peter Kirk BuildingPeter Kirk BuildingThe Peter Kirk Building, first known as the Kirkland Investment Company Building, is a historic building in Kirkland, Washington located at the corner of Market Street and Seventh Avenue, Kirkland's historic commercial core. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...
- Joshua Sears BuildingJoshua Sears BuildingThe Joshua Sears Building is a historic building in Kirkland, Washington located at the northwest corner of Market Street and Seventh Avenue, Kirkland's historic commercial core. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places...