House of the Temple

The House of the Temple is a Masonic Temple that serves as the headquarters of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, or the Home of the Supreme Council. 110 years after the council was founded the ground was broken to build the temple on May 31, 1911 by Grand Commander James D. Richardson.

The temple was modeled after the tomb of Mausolus at Halicarnassus which is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. On October 18, 1915 the building was dedicated. The remains of Albert Bike who was a former Sovereign Grand Commander were removed from Oak Hill Cemetery and placed in the Temple. There is also a large collection of materials that are related to Scottish Poet and Freemason Robert Burns in the library of the temple which was also the first public library in Washington, DC.

A community garden is located on the grounds of the temple which has been divided into 70 small plots which are tended to by nearby residents. The House of the Temple was featured in the 1951 movie, 'The Day the Earth Stood Still'; the temple can be seen in the background as a motorcycle policeman tries to start his motorbike before an extra-terrestrial cause's trouble. The temple is a contributing property to the Sixteenth Street Historic District and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.