KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WOKI / WVLT) — One of downtown Knoxville’s most recognizable historic buildings could soon face demolition.
City of Knoxville records show a demolition permit for the Masonic Temple on Locust Street was opened on July 13 and remains pending. While no final decision has been announced, the permit filing is the clearest indication yet that the future of the longtime downtown landmark is in doubt.
The building, located across from the Locust Street Garage and within walking distance of Market Square, the Knoxville Convention Center and the Sunsphere, has been a fixture of downtown for generations.
According to Knoxville History Project Executive Director Jack Neely, the structure’s roots stretch back much further than its years as a Masonic lodge.
“Hard to believe, but it was originally built in 1872 as the extravagant Victorian home of Charles McClung McGhee, probably the major industrialist and financier of his era, involved in railroads and coal, maybe the Andrew Carnegie of Knoxville,” Neely said.
McGhee was also known for his philanthropy and founded the Lawson McGhee Library as a memorial to his daughter, who once lived in the home.
Neely said the building’s current temple-like appearance came after renovations following McGhee’s death in 1907. He added that the structure is one of the oldest surviving buildings in downtown Knoxville and was among the earliest designs by renowned architect Joseph Baumann.
“It’s one of the six or seven oldest structures downtown, and was originally one of the first designs by Joseph Baumann, arguably Knoxville’s first resident architect,” Neely said.
The historical significance of the building has preservation advocates concerned about the possibility of demolition.
“It would be a shame to lose it,” Neely said. “We haven’t torn down a prominent 19th-century downtown building in about 50 years.”
The building has long served as home to the Charles H. McKinney Lodge 433 chapter of the Masons. However, the organization announced on Facebook in May that its meetings would move to Cherokee Lodge in the Bearden area.
Despite its role as a Masonic temple for more than a century, Neely said much of the building’s history remains hidden from public view.
“During the Masons’ early era, it was sometimes used as an event space for public events, like the Welsh community’s St. David’s Day festivals,” Neely said. “But most people, including me, have never been inside. I’ve been told that some of the rooms from McGhee’s era are intact.”
City records indicate the property has been owned by “Masonic Temple” since 1914. For now, the demolition permit remains pending, leaving the future of one of Knoxville’s oldest downtown buildings uncertain.
