Grand Lodge of Iowa building

The Grand Lodge of Iowa building or Iowa Masonic Library and Museum, located at 813 First Ave. SE, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, including the Masonic Library, is a building whose dedication was asserted to be the most important event in Iowa masonry during the 20th century. It serves as a home to several museum collections and is a public building.
The library is reputed to be the largest Masonic libraries in the world, and is at least one of the top five, with over 100,000 volumes. Both Masonic and general books are included in the collections and the library is open to anyone, whether Masons or not."
It was the location in 2008 of the Masonic Library and Museum Association (MLMA) annual meeting, 80 years after a similar meeting.
Museums
It includes three museum collections and is open to the public. The museum collections are extensive and include a Masonic collection on the first floor and a Non-Masonic collection on the 2nd floor, consisting of thousands of items. Also there is the Charles H. Swab Memorial collection, donated by deed in 1958.
One of the more interesting artifacts is a Civil War flag, which served as standard for the Iowa regiment in the Battle of Champion Hill, where 97 Iowans were casualties.
In 2008, the Masonic Library became the temporary location of the African American Museum of Iowa, whose building at 55 12th Ave., SE, was flooded in the Iowa flood of 2008.
Building
The building was built in 1955. It cost over a million dollars.
"The new building cost a little over $1,000,000. it is constructed of Vermont Marble, with grey marble from Carthage, Missouri, lining the interior halls. Metal work in the windows, doors and stair rails is of bronze. The main portion of the building is over 245 feet long and 50 feet wide, while the library wing at the west end is 113 feet deep."
The building includes a Masonic library, administration offices, and the three museums.
Related buildings
Another Cedar Rapids building, the Masonic Lodge at 210 E. 6th Street, formerly the Scottish Rite Temple, was celebrated by the Grand Lodge of Iowa at a 100th anniversary event in 2010. As a functioning current meeting building this one is not open to the public except on rare events.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu