Guthrie Scottish Rite Temple

The Guthrie Scottish Rite Temple is one of Oklahoma's most monumental fraternal buildings. Constructed during the early twentieth century, the massive complex reflects the strength of Freemasonry in territorial and early-statehood Oklahoma and the ambition of Guthrie after its years as the territorial and first state capital. The temple contains elaborate ceremonial rooms, theaters, decorative interiors and symbolic architectural details designed for Scottish Rite Masonic rituals and large gatherings. Its scale is surprising for a city of Guthrie's size and reflects the community's former political importance. Tours, when available, reveal spaces that are not obvious from the exterior, including stage machinery, ornate halls and specialized rooms used by different degrees of the order. The building also contributes to Guthrie's extraordinary concentration of historic architecture. Even visitors with little interest in Masonic history can appreciate the craftsmanship and the way the temple embodies a period when civic and fraternal organizations invested heavily in monumental public buildings.