Many of Danville’s churches and a handful of its historic residences reflect Gothic styling. The Gothic influence in our city’s architecture was reinforced and brought to new heights, literally, in the elaborate style of its first skyscraper, built in 1921, as the third Masonic Temple on this important intersection in the heart of the downtown. Danville was no stranger to the nation’s economic boom times of the 1920s, which is evidenced by the building of this faux-granite terra cotta landmark at the cost of $550,000, according to the Manufacturers Record.

Rising to eleven stories—with exceptional views of the Dan River, the church spires of Millionaires Row, and the Tobacco Warehouse District—this edifice was erected to accommodate the city’s needs for office space for doctors, lawyers, dentists, and insurance companies in the burgeoning economy. The ground floor space fronting on Main and South Union streets provided six retail storefronts, most of which open to an elegant marble lobby served by two elevators, still operated by employees. In the first change of ownership of this corner since 1852, the new owners, Danville Towers, Inc., has already started to restore the lobby to its original grandeur by removing the tiles of the dropped ceiling to reveal an elliptically barrel-vaulted skylight and sculptural wall relief above the elevator doors.

Tour guests will marvel at the hidden treasures open today on the top floors of the Temple. The classically-appointed banquet hall with commercial kitchen and hardwood flooring shares the top floor with the Egyptian-theme Scottish Rite auditorium with 160+ seat theater and stage flanked by intricately painted sphinxes. Below the mezzanine on the ninth floor, the Blue Lodge Room of the Roman Eagle Lodge is awe-inspiring in its enormity, ceiling height, and furnishings, some of which were saved from the fire that destroyed the second Masonic Temple building constructed on this same site in 1901 . Across the elevator lobby, the Gothic furniture of the Dove Commandry is magnificent in the light of its elegant chandeliers served by an unbelievable, still-operating rheostat. The Greek Revival-style furnishings of the Chapter Room recall the neo-classical designs of Asher Benamin from the mid-l9th century.

The new owners, Scott Burton of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, and Britt Whitney of Duxbury, Massachusetts, are busy with enthusiastic plans to restore and redevelop their “castle in the sky” to meet the needs of business offices and retailers into the next century. The Danville Historical Society greatly appreciates the hospitality of the Lodge members for sharing their history and architecture with our guests today.