The Pythian Temple, built in 1906 for Commencement Lodge Number 7 of the

Knights of Pythias The Knights of Pythias is a Fraternal and service organizations, fraternal organization and secret society founded in Washington, D.C., on . The Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter under an Act of Co ...

, is an historic building located on Broadway in the Theater District of

Tacoma, Washington Tacoma ( ) is the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. A port city, it is situated along Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, southwest of Bellevue, Washington, Bellevue, northeast of the state capital, Olympia ...

. It was designed by noted Tacoma architect Frederick Heath. Like many multistory urban fraternal buildings built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, its lower floors were rented out for retail and office spaces while the upper floors were reserved for lodge use. This pattern of usage continues into the 21st century for this building, although Commencement Lodge plans to renovate the building to permit the rental of its hall for cultural events.Waymarking listing for Pythian Temple
/ref> On August 23, 1985, Pythian Temple was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

. The building was featured in the summer 2008 newsletter of the Marian Dean Ross Pacific Northwest Chapter of the

Society of Architectural Historians The Society of Architectural Historians (SAH) is an international not-for-profit organization that promotes the study and preservation of the built environment worldwide. Based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, the Society's 3,500 members inc ...

. The group reported that the Pythian order remains active and is working to preserve its 1906 building and has received grants for work on the Knights of Pythias ''Castle Hall''. "This two-story hall, completely hidden within the building's interior, is a rich confection of early 20th Century woodwork, plaster, lighting, murals and carpeting."summer 2008 newsletter
Society of Architectural Historians, Marian Dean Ross Pacific Northwest Chapter page 2 For a short period in the mid-1990s, the Pythian Temple hosted a local theater company, and its ornate auditorium was the setting for productions of such plays as

Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead ''Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead'' is an absurdist, existential tragicomedy by Tom Stoppard, first staged at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1966. The play expands upon the exploits of two minor characters from Shakespeare's ''Hamle ...

, Inherit the Wind, 12 Angry Men, and

Talk Radio Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues and consisting entirely or almost entirely of original spoken word content rather than outside music. They may feature monologues, dialogues between the hosts, Interview (jo ...

. In addition to the Knights of Pythias, the building houses the Tacoma Youth Theater and Seabury Middle School. File:Pythian Temple 2.jpg File:Castle Hall, Pythian Temple, Tacoma, Washington 01.jpg, Interior of Castle Hall, Pythian Temple, Tacoma

References

External links

The Melon Online: Journey to the Center of Tacoma Pythian Temple
{{National Register of Historic Places Knights of Pythias buildings National Register of Historic Places in Tacoma, Washington Buildings and structures completed in 1906 Renaissance Revival architecture in Washington (state) Frederick Heath buildings Buildings and structures in Tacoma, Washington Clubhouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Washington (state) 1906 establishments in Washington (state)