the three-story brick building is a rare surviving late nineteenth-century Masonic lodge in Alabama. It is also a good example of Romanesque Revival commercial architecture, with round arch windows characteristic of the style. Masonic halls were once common to most American downtowns, but today many have been lost or abandoned in favor of newer meeting quarters.
The Masonic Building has been a landmark in downtown Troy since the early 1890s. Still displaying a round stone plaque with the Masonic logo of the square and compass, the three-story brick building is a rare surviving late nineteenth-century Masonic lodge in Alabama. It is also a good example of Romanesque Revival commercial architecture, with round arch windows characteristic of the style. Masonic halls were once common to most American downtowns, but today many have been lost or abandoned in favor of newer meeting quarters. The old Masonic building played an important role in the early social and commercial history of Troy. While the Masons occupied the third level, the building also originally had a grocery store and printer shop on the first floor, and there were offices on the second floor. Th e building was later used as a post office from approximately 1903 to 1912 and a movie house from 1915 through the 1930s. A drug store moved into the first level in the mid-1970s. The Masons vacated the third floor many years ago. Presently, the second and third floors are empty, and long-term water leaks are causing significant damage in these areas. Th e City of Troy wants to see this important building preserved as part of its vision for a revitalized downtown.
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Alabama's Endangered Historic LandmarksEach year since 1994, Alabama Heritage has highlighted threatened historic sites throughout Alabama. The “Places in Peril” list has identified more than 215 imperiled historic resources throughout the state, and is compiled by the Alabama Historical Commission and the Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation. The locations highlight the results of deferred maintenance, perceived obsolescence, development pressures, and lack of funding—forces that now more than ever threaten our cultural legacy. But awareness is a powerful force, too, and can cultivate a renewed determination to be responsible stewards of our heritage. For more information, visit the AHC or the ATHP websites. Alabama Heritage is proud to bring to you a selection of the places designated as perilous. Please keep your comments to information relevant to the featured place in peril. Alabama Heritage reserves the right to delete any comment that we deem inappropriate. Archives
May 2023
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