Temple Theatre
45 Muenich Court,
Hammond,
IN
46320
45 Muenich Court,
Hammond,
IN
46320
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The Masonic Temple on the north side of Muenich Court just west of Hohman Avenue at the edge of downtown Hammond, IN. was built in 1907-1909. It was expanded in 1921.
In April 1924 the Board of Directors of the Building Association of the Masonic Temple agreed to lease the Shrine auditorium to Clyde Elliott and his associates, Chicago theatre operators, for a ten-year term. The Elliott team spent thousands of dollars on interior improvements, with plans to present motion pictures and vaudeville. Bert Blackmore served as house manager.
The Temple Theatre opened on the second floor of the building on April 25, 1924, with the showing of D.W. Griffith’s “The Birth of a Nation” accompanied by a fifteen-piece orchestra under the direction of Frederick Daniels. The Temple Theatre was listed as (Closed) in the 1932 edition of Film Daily Yearbook with no seating capacity given. It was demolished in 2009.
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Denverpalace
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
The Orak Temple Shrine in Hammond was originally built in 1907-1909, and then massively expanded in 1921, which was when the auditorium that became the Temple Theatre was added. The enormous, 65,000 square foot Modern Gothic building also housed a large ballroom, and was long one of Hammond’s most important gathering places, hosting live events including the annual Shrine Circus.
In the late 20th century as lodge membership declined the building became too costly for the Masons to maintain, and by the 1990s the interior had begun to deteriorate badly. The lodge abandoned it for smaller quarters in 1999. New owners hoped to renovate and reopen the facility, but failed, and it was demolished in June, 2009. Its site is now occupied by a charter high school, The Hammond Academy of Science and Technology.
Interesting info from Joe Vogel. The old Masonic Temple was at 83 State Street, about 125 State Street if it existed today. The Colonial Theatre was in the old Masonic Temple. By 1915 the building was a hotel and the space used by the theater, renumbered 85 State Street, was a store.