Scottish Rite Cathedral (New Castle, Pennsylvania)
Encyclopedia
The Scottish Rite Cathedral in New Castle
, Pennsylvania
, United States
, was designed by Milwaukee architect R. G. Schmidt and built in 1925. First used in November, 1926, as a meeting place for Masonic groups, it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
. Unable to pay taxes during the Great Depression, the Masons lost the building to the county, but reacquired it in 1940 with the creation of the Cathedral Foundation. This non-profit foundation continues to operate the Cathedral today.
. The auditorium in which the symphony performs has a seating capacity of 2,834, and a stage that is 82 feet wide, 46 feet deep, and 65 feet high.
New Castle, Pennsylvania
New Castle is a city in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States, northwest of Pittsburgh and near the Pennsylvania-Ohio border just east of Youngstown, Ohio; in 1910, the total population was 36,280; in 1920, 44,938; and in 1940, 47,638. The population has fallen to 26,309 according to the...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, was designed by Milwaukee architect R. G. Schmidt and built in 1925. First used in November, 1926, as a meeting place for Masonic groups, it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
National Register of Historic Places listings in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania
This is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on National Register of Historic Places in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States...
. Unable to pay taxes during the Great Depression, the Masons lost the building to the county, but reacquired it in 1940 with the creation of the Cathedral Foundation. This non-profit foundation continues to operate the Cathedral today.
History
John S. Wallace, a Masonic official and first Commander-In-Chief of the New Castle area, desired a building large enough to accommodate all Masonic groups. Though the land on which the Cathedral sits was purchased in 1918, additional land was bought in 1921, 1923, and 1924. Because the builders ran into quicksand, piling had to be added to the back of the building to ensure the structure was sound. At the time it was built, the Cathedral was the largest facility between New York and Chicago.Today
The Cathedral continues to be used today for wedding receptions, banquets, and most notably for performances by the Pittsburgh Symphony OrchestraPittsburgh Symphony Orchestra
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District.-History:...
. The auditorium in which the symphony performs has a seating capacity of 2,834, and a stage that is 82 feet wide, 46 feet deep, and 65 feet high.