Scottish Rite Cathedral (New Castle, Pennsylvania)

Last updated
Scottish Rite Cathedral
Scottish Rite Cathedral, New Castle (cropped).jpg
Front view of Cathedral
General information
TypeCathedral
Architectural styleNeo-classic
Location 41°0′19″N80°20′41″W / 41.00528°N 80.34472°W / 41.00528; -80.34472 Coordinates: 41°0′19″N80°20′41″W / 41.00528°N 80.34472°W / 41.00528; -80.34472
Address110 E. Lincoln Ave
Town or cityNew Castle, PA
CountryUSA
Construction started1925
Completed1926
InauguratedNovember 8, 1926
Cost1.7 million
OwnerCathedral Foundation
Height180 feet
Design and construction
ArchitectR. G. Schmidt
Other information
Seating capacity2,834
Website
cathedralnewcastle.com
References
visitlawrencecounty.com

The Scottish Rite Cathedral in New Castle, Pennsylvania, United States, was designed by Milwaukee architect R. G. Schmidt and built in 1925. [1] First used in November, 1926, as a meeting place for Masonic groups, [1] it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania. Unable to pay taxes during the Great Depression, the Masons lost the building to the county, [1] but reacquired it in 1940 with the creation of the Cathedral Foundation. [1] This non-profit foundation continues to operate the Cathedral today. [2]

New Castle, Pennsylvania City in Pennsylvania, United States

New Castle is a city in and the county seat of Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located 50 miles (80 km) northwest of Pittsburgh near the Pennsylvania–Ohio border just 18 miles (29 km) east of Youngstown, Ohio. The population was 23,128 as of the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the New Castle, PA Micropolitan Statistical Area, which had a population of 91,108 in 2010. New Castle also anchors the northwestern part of the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-WV-OH Combined Statistical Area. It is the commercial center of a fertile agricultural region.

Pennsylvania State in the United States

Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state located in the Northeastern, Great Lakes, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The Appalachian Mountains run through its middle. The Commonwealth is bordered by Delaware to the southeast, Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, Lake Erie and the Canadian province of Ontario to the northwest, New York to the north, and New Jersey to the east.

United States Federal republic in North America

The United States of America (USA), commonly known as the United States or simply America, is a country comprising 50 states, a federal district, five major self-governing territories, and various possessions. At 3.8 million square miles, the United States is the world's third or fourth largest country by total area and is slightly smaller than the entire continent of Europe. With a population of over 327 million people, the U.S. is the third most populous country. The capital is Washington, D.C., and the most populous city is New York City. Most of the country is located contiguously in North America between Canada and Mexico.

Contents

History

John S. Wallace, a Masonic official and first Commander-In-Chief of the New Castle area, [2] desired a building large enough to accommodate all Masonic groups. [2] Though the land on which the Cathedral sits was purchased in 1918, additional land was bought in 1921, 1923, and 1924. [2] Because the builders ran into quicksand, piling had to be added to the back of the building to ensure the structure was sound. [2] At the time it was built, the Cathedral was the largest facility between New York and Chicago. [1]

Today

The Cathedral continues to be used today for wedding receptions, banquets, and most notably for performances by the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. [3] The auditorium in which the symphony performs has a seating capacity of 2,834, and a stage that is 82 feet wide, 46 feet deep, and 65 feet high. [1]

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra American orchestra based in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) is an American orchestra based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The orchestra's home is Heinz Hall, located in Pittsburgh's Cultural District.

Related Research Articles

Shenango Township, Lawrence County, Pennsylvania Township in Pennsylvania, United States

Shenango Township is a township in Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 7,479 at the 2010 census. Shenango Township is situated between the city of New Castle to the north and the borough of Ellwood City to the south.

History of Pittsburgh aspect of history

The history of Pittsburgh began with centuries of Native American civilization in the modern Pittsburgh region, known as "Dionde:gâ'" in the Seneca language.' Eventually French and British explorers encountered the strategic confluence where the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers meet to form the Ohio, which leads to the Mississippi River. The area became a battleground when France and Britain fought for control in the 1750s. When the British were victorious, the French ceded control of territories east of the Mississippi.

Allegheny County Courthouse

The Allegheny County Courthouse in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is part of a complex designed by H. H. Richardson. The buildings are considered among the finest examples of the Romanesque Revival style for which Richardson is well known.

Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts


Heinz Hall is a performing arts center and concert hall located at 600 Penn Avenue in the Cultural District of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Home to the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (PSO) and the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony Orchestra, the 2,676 seat hall presents about 200 performances each year. Originally built in 1927 as Loew's Penn Theatre, the former movie palace was renovated and reopened as Heinz Hall in 1971.

Félix de la Concha Spanish-American painter

Félix de la Concha is a painter. Born in León, Spain, he resides in Pittsburgh and Madrid.

The Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation (PHLF) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1964 to support the preservation of historic buildings and neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.

Alumni Hall (University of Pittsburgh) United States historic place

Alumni Hall at the University of Pittsburgh is a Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmark that was formerly known as the Masonic Temple in Pittsburgh. Constructed in 1914-1915, it was designed by renowned architect Benno Janssen of Janssen & Abbot Architects. Other buildings in Pittsburgh's Oakland Cultural District designed by Janssen include the Pittsburgh Athletic Association, Mellon Institute, and Pitt's Eberly Hall.

Clapp Hall United States historic place

George Hubbard Clapp Hall is a contributing property to the Schenley Farms National Historic District on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The six-story Gothic Revival structure, designed by Trautwein & Howard, was completed in 1956 and serves as the primary facility of the University of Pittsburgh Department of Biological Sciences. It contains laboratories, classrooms, a greenhouse, and an amphitheater-style lecture hall with 404 seats.

Scottish Rite Cathedral (Indianapolis) United States historic place

The Scottish Rite Cathedral in Indianapolis, Indiana is a historic building designed by architect George F. Schreiber and located in downtown Indianapolis. It is owned by the Valley of Indianapolis Scottish Rite, an affiliated body of Freemasonry. It was built between 1927 and 1929 at the cost of $2.5 million. Every dimension of the structure is evenly divisible by three, with many also being divisible by 33.

Grand Opera House (Wilmington, Delaware) United States historic place

The Grand Opera House, also known as The Grand or Masonic Hall and Grand Theater, is a 1,208-seat theater for the performing arts in Wilmington, Delaware, United States. The four-story building was built in 1871 by the Delaware Grand Lodge of Masons to serve as a Masonic Temple and auditorium. The construction cost was $100,000. It was designed in Second Empire style by Baltimore architect Thomas Dixon and incorporates symbolism from Freemasonry into the cast-iron facade. Its central pediment contains an Eye of Providence.

Scottish Rite Cathedral and Scottish Rite Temple are names commonly applied to buildings used by Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, a body associated with Freemasonry. It may refer to any of a number of specific buildings, including:

Scranton Cultural Center United States historic place

The Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple is a theatre and cultural center in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The Cultural Center's mission statement is "to rejuvenate a national architectural structure as a regional center for arts, education and community activities appealing to all ages." The Cultural Center hosts national Broadway tours; professional and local musical and dramatic theatre offerings; local, regional and national orchestral and popular music, dance and opera; comedians, lecturers, art exhibits, a children's and performing arts academy and various classes as well as fundraiser galas and special events including proms, luncheons, private parties and is a popular wedding ceremony and reception venue. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Joseph A. Hardy Connellsville Airport airport

Joseph A. Hardy Connellsville Airport is a public-use airport located four nautical miles southwest of Connellsville in Dunbar Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is owned by the Fayette County Airport Authority and serves the south-eastern segment of the Pittsburgh metropolitan area. The airport serves the general aviation community with no scheduled commercial airline service.

Worcester Castle

Worcester Castle was a Norman fortification built between 1068 and 1069 in Worcester, England by Urse d'Abetot on behalf of William the Conqueror. The castle had a motte-and-bailey design and was located on the south side of the old Anglo-Saxon city, cutting into the grounds of Worcester Cathedral. Royal castles were owned by the king and maintained on his behalf by an appointed constable. At Worcester that role was passed down through the local Beauchamp family on a hereditary basis, giving them permanent control of the castle and considerable power within the city. The castle played an important part in the wars of the 12th and early 13th century, including the Anarchy and the First Barons' War.

Teutonia Maennerchor Hall United States historic place

The Teutonia Männerchor Hall, in the Deutschtown neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is a building constructed in 1888. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004. The Teutonia Männerchor is a private membership club with the purpose of furthering choral singing, German cultural traditions and good fellowship. The club features a number of heritage activities and celebrations, including choral singing in German and folk dancing.

Westinghouse Air Brake Company General Office Building United States historic place

The Westinghouse Air Brake Company General Office Building in Wilmerding, Pennsylvania is a building from 1890. It was listed on the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation in 1975, National Register of Historic Places in 1987. Originally built as an office building for the Westinghouse Air Brake Company, it housed the George Westinghouse Museum from 2006 to 2016. In 2016 in was sold to the Priory Hospitality Group and is being developed into a boutique hotel.

Saint Paul Cathedral (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) Church in Pennsylvania, United States

Saint Paul Cathedral is the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. St. Paul's parish was established in 1834. When the diocese was established in 1843 St. Paul's Church was chosen as the cathedral. The first two St. Paul Cathedrals were located on Grant Street downtown. As the downtown area was claimed by industries, the residential areas shifted to other areas of the city. St. Paul's property was sold to the industrialist Henry Clay Frick. The present Gothic Revival structure was designed by Egan and Prindeville of Chicago and completed in 1906. They used Cologne Cathedral as their inspiration. Philadelphia contractor Thomas Reilly built the new cathedral in the Oakland neighborhood. The pipe organ was provided by Andrew Carnegie. The cathedral serves the spiritual needs of approximately 3,000 worshipers. It became a contributing property in the Schenley Farms Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Robert Schmertz (artist) American architect and musician (1898-1975)

Robert Watson "Bob" Schmertz was a Pittsburgh-based architect and folk musician whose music has been covered by Pete Seeger, Burl Ives, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Bill and Gloria Gaither, The Statler Brothers, The Cathedrals, Dailey & Vincent, the River City Brass Band, and Ernie Haase & Signature Sound. Born in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Schmertz attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology, where he wrote the Carnegie Tartans' fight song, "Fight for the Glory of Carnegie," and played the banjo in a jazz orchestra; after he graduated with an architecture degree in 1921, Schmertz designed buildings. He taught at Carnegie for more than thirty-five years before his retirement.

References