Was Masonic Temple originally planned for Fifth and Broadway?
Cutline: This postcard from the Steve Chou collection shows North Fifth Street, where it intersects with Broadway in Hannibal. It looks like the lot at Fifth and Broadway, facing east, is vacant. To the right is the Fifth Street Baptist Church. Next to that, in a small three-story building, was the McCooey family house, I believe. And behind the trees, next to the McCooey House, is the Masonic Temple. Was it first destined for the vacant lot at Fifth and Broadway?
I found a tidbit regarding property at Fifth and Broadway, Hannibal, in an 1893 edition of the Quincy Daily Journal.
It seems that James H. McCooey was the owner of property where the Masonic organization wanted to build a temple.
If this article is accurate, the Masons wanted to build the property at Fifth and Broadway - the lot that now houses Ann's Tax Service.
UPDATE: Hannibal's Masonic club occupied a room on the first floor of the Park Opera House building on the southwest corner of Center and Fifth streets in Hannibal, beginning in January 1914. In addition, it occcupied two rooms on the second floor, which were furnished as reading and music rooms. A pool table was installed in the first floor room. Source: Quincy Daily Herald.
I'll be doing more checking on this tidbit of information - or golden nugget as I like to call an interesting find. Maybe some can help me come up with answers?
Click here to start the conversation
Fifth and Broadway masonic building for Hannibal
June 30, 1893
The Quincy Daily Journal
A member of the Masonic fraternity of this city asked James H. McCooey yesterday to set a price on the lot a the corner of Fifth and Broadway, as he with nine other members of the order had in contemplation the erection of a Masonic temple in the near future. Mr. McCooey will accede to the request as the lot is for sale. If the deal is made a magnificent building will no doubt be erected on that corner, as the order has long contemplated the erection of a building that would be a credit to the order. Hannibal Post
