Historic Sites and Points of Interest in Nevada County
A marker on the building reads in part:
Masonry in the Gold CountyAt this location the first masonry structure was built in 1852 as a store. The 1863 fire destroyed [the] building. This site was purchased for $1,650 and rebuilt as a store with lodge room up stairs. The lodge moved in 1864. A dining room/office extension was built to the right in 1901. Over the past 136 years other Masonic units/orders have also been meeting here.
The Masonic Lodge contributes to the Nevada City Downtown Historic District. The following description is excerpted from the NRHP nomination for the historic district:
The present building is really two buildings, the one on the corner of Commercial and Pine Streets dating from 1864 and the one behind it on Pine Street dating from 1900.The four bays for retail shops on the street level had their large plate glass windows installed in 1900. The second story of the building to the right of the Pine Street elevator entrance has six arched windows above a cornice ornamented with dentils. Each window is crowned by a brick eyebrow relieving arch. Above there is ornate brick work to the top of a stepped parapet which conceals the slightly sloping roof.
The second building which extends to Commercial Street has nine window spaces in the second story. Three of these spaces have windows with their original iron shutters. The other spaces have been filled in with brick. The cornice at the top of the brick front is supported by brick corbels.
Some Masonic Halls in California
Alameda
Benicia
Berkeley
Camptonville
Colfax
Columbia
Daly City
Downieville
Ferndale
Fort Bragg
Grass Valley
Greenville
Hornitos
Jamestown
Knights Ferry
Mendocino
Milton
Murphys
Nevada City
North Bloomfield
Orland
Sacramanto
Sacramanto (Eastern Star Hall)
Saint Helena
San Francisco (1849)
San Francisco (1911)
Shasta State Historic Park
Sonoma
Suison City
Susanville
Tehama
Vallejo
Westwood
Wheatland
Willows
Woodbridge
Other Masonic Halls in The American West
Ashland, Oregon
Austin, Nevada
Genoa, Nevada
Gardnerville, Nevada