Masonic Temple (New Britain, Connecticut)
Encyclopedia
The Masonic Temple in New Britain, Connecticut
is a Beaux Arts building from 1929. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1995.
The building was designed by architect Walter P. Crabtree for use as a Masonic
hall in 1927. The building was completed in 1929, just before the Great Depression
. Financial constraints led the Masons to sell the building to Aheyu B'Nai Israel (Brethren Sons of Israel), a Conservative Jewish congregation, in 1940. Some modifications were made to convert it for use as a synagogue
, but since the two uses have similar needs (including both meeting rooms and a large assembly space), the building readily accommodated the new function.
The building is considered architecturally significant as a "fine example" of Neo-Classical Revival
style in the Beaux Arts mode.
New Britain, Connecticut
New Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located approximately 9 miles southwest of Hartford. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 71,254....
is a Beaux Arts building from 1929. It was listed on 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...
in 1995.
The building was designed by architect Walter P. Crabtree for use as a Masonic
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...
hall in 1927. The building was completed in 1929, just before the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
. Financial constraints led the Masons to sell the building to Aheyu B'Nai Israel (Brethren Sons of Israel), a Conservative Jewish congregation, in 1940. Some modifications were made to convert it for use as a synagogue
Synagogue
A synagogue is a Jewish house of prayer. This use of the Greek term synagogue originates in the Septuagint where it sometimes translates the Hebrew word for assembly, kahal...
, but since the two uses have similar needs (including both meeting rooms and a large assembly space), the building readily accommodated the new function.
The building is considered architecturally significant as a "fine example" of Neo-Classical Revival
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
style in the Beaux Arts mode.