Menu
Scottish Rite closes door on historic building for good
The Valley of Fort Scott Scottish Rite Masons have officially come to what members of the organization are calling "an end of an era."
Due to financial issues and other factors, the Valley of Fort Scott Scottish Rite Masons organization has moved from its longtime location at 110 S. Main St. Since the historic building was dedicated in 1926, the organization has hosted numerous monthly meetings, reunions, dinners, weddings and receptions, and several other fraternal and community activities.
John Bartelsmeyer, representative for the Valley of Fort Scott, said the organization is in the process of moving its offices to Pittsburg due to the inability of the organization to continue paying for upkeep and maintenance of the old building, and because the organization is not as large and vibrant as it once was. He also said there are more Scottish Rite members in that area than Fort Scott.
"The organization has ceased to grow," Bartelsmeyer said.
At its peak, the Scottish Rite Valley of Fort Scott had about 3,500 members. The group is down to 800 members currently and the average age of members is close to 80, Bartelsmeyer said.
Currently, the local organization is losing about $30,000 to $40,000 per year and cannot afford the building. Bartelsmeyer said thanks to insurance, the building has a new roof following the April 7 hail storm that struck Bourbon County. The organization applied for a state grant from the Kansas Historical Society for improvements to the exterior of the building but was denied.
"We can't afford it anyway," Bartelsmeyer said. "It's very sad. It's a beautiful old building. It's sad the city can't afford to keep it."
The building is currently for sale. A couple of prospects have shown interest, but those have gone nowhere. Bartelsmeyer said he has talked with city officials who have told him the city can't afford the building either or take on the liability.
The building has hosted numerous feeds and other community events over the years but it is now closed for any events. Bartelsmeyer said the organization once donated the building for use by various groups, but in recent years began charging for use of the building due to money problems.
"We in the Valley of Fort Scott Scottish Rite understand that times are changing," a written statement from the organization said. "It is with a heavy heart that we say Monday, Dec. 23 will be the last day this awesome building will be open."
Effective Jan. 1, the organization's new mailing address is P.O. Box 789, Fort Scott, Kan., 66701-0789. The office phone number remains the same, (620) 223-1330 but there will no longer be a fax number. The e-mail address will continue to be fsscottishrite@sbcglobal.net and the website will stay as www.ftscottishrite.org for now, the statement said.
Bartelsmeyer said he has been influenced by many past Scottish Rite members. He joined the organization in 1973, working on the stage. His father, who he also cited as an influence, also worked on the stage. Bartelsmeyer said he became stage director in 1980.
Several years ago, the organization staged three-day morality plays and also conducted reunions, which still take place today. The reunions are private gatherings that involved indoctrination of new members into the organization. Scottish Rite members from other cities participated in the plays. Current members would dress in costume and perform in the plays, Bartelsmeyer said.
"At that time, it was a very private and secretive organization, although we had no secrets," he said. "We didn't do anything subversive at all."
Bartelsmeyer said the goal of the Scottish Rite Masons is to "Take good men and make them better."
Throughout its history, the building would still be open to the public for events such as an annual Easter service held at the temple. The building as it stands today was used for meetings and reunions. Bartelsmeyer said he has participated in the last 77 reunions, dating back to the 1970s, working on the stage.
In the 1920s and 30s, the building was "the social center of Southeast Kansas" and served as a venue for many forms of entertainment. It also hosted large meetings, weddings and receptions, he said.
"It's such an asset to the city and now it's just rusting away," he said. "It needs TLC and a group to support it.
Bartelsmeyer said various groups and organizations have been approached about their possible interest in saving the building for some purpose but added, "there has been no concerted effort to save the facility."
"It takes a desire to get people together," he said. "It's an uphill struggle."
Bartelsmeyer said an auction to sell items housed in the building will possibly take place in the future. The building also includes a 550-seat auditorium in the upstairs portion, a vast dining hall that can seat more than 300 people and an antique wind-chest pipe organ installed in 1924. More than 100 backdrops in the auditorium were painted by noted artist Thomas Moses in 1901.
There will be no stated meeting in January for the organization as members try to transition to the new meeting location. The first stated meeting of 2014 is scheduled for Feb. 6 at the Pittsburg Masonic Lodge in Pittsburg.
"Our hope is that with this move, the Valley will grow and flourish and that all members will make an effort to understand and help make this happen," the statement said.
The statement also said that the Scottish Rite Masons is the oldest, most prestigious and charitable fraternity in the world. The Fraternity of Masons originated in France more than 6,000 years ago.