Scottish Rite Cathedral
2128 Church St., Galveston, TXGalveston is the "mother of Scottish Rite Masonry in Texas." It was established on May 15, 1867, and named San Felipe Lodge in honor of Austin's colony. This particular site has been associated with Scottish Rite activities since 1902 when it was acquired by the lodge. At that time, Harmony Hall, a building erected in 1881 and associated with a Jewish organization, was on the site. It burned in February. 1928. The lodge hired noted Houston architect and Scottish Rite member, A.C. Finn, to design the new cathedral. The latter is unique architecturally in Galveston as noted at the time of its dedication in 1929. Elaborate interiors were also noted. The contractor, M.C. Bowden, built many of the major buildings in Galveston during this period.
Local significance of the building:Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1984.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.