Scottish Rite Cathedral (New Castle, Pennsylvania)
The Scottish Rite Cathedral in New Castle, Pennsylvania, United States, was designed by Milwaukee architect R. G. Schmidt and built in 1925.[1] First used in November, 1926, as a meeting place for Masonic groups,[1] 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,[1] but reacquired it in 1940 with the creation of the Cathedral Foundation.[1] This non-profit foundation continues to operate the Cathedral today.[2]
History
John S. Wallace, a Masonic official and first Commander-In-Chief of the New Castle area,[2] desired a building large enough to accommodate all Masonic groups.[2] Though the land on which the Cathedral sits was purchased in 1918, additional land was bought in 1921, 1923, and 1924.[2] Because the builders ran into quicksand, piling had to be added to the back of the building to ensure the structure was sound.[2] At the time it was built, the Cathedral was the largest facility between New York and Chicago.[1]
Today
The Cathedral continues to be used today for wedding receptions, banquets, and most notably for performances by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra.[3] 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.[1]
References
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