the building. The stage and its scenery were important in the rites and rituals of the various orders of masons, especially the Scottish Rite. The WMBA bought ninety-eight hand-painted scenic drops that were produced by Sosman and Landis Scene Painting Studios in Chicago. The temple was completed in December 1909 with mahogany finishes that reflected Masonic ideology. Masonic furniture and other decorations were also purchased. The Masons were highly respected in Winona, and the construction of the temple only served to heighten their presence in the community. Masonic events held at the temple consistently brought large numbers of people to Winona. The town's role as a Scottish Rite headquarters also brought regional Masonic conferences to the city for over eighty years. The large ballroom hosted balls, banquets, and civic events. In the 1930s membership in Masonic organizations began to wane. The Winona Temple, because it was a center for the Scottish Rite, fared better than many others. However, in 1978 the Winona Temple lost what made it prominent when the Scottish Rite was moved to a temple in Rochester, Minnesota. A year later the WMBA sold the Winona Temple to the city. The valuable scenic drops were left in the building even though the Scottish Rite had moved. Current use In 1979 the Winona Masonic Benevolent Association sold the building to the city to create a senior center on the ground floor, while retaining access to the upper second and third floors. In 1997 the Theatre du Mississippi was founded and began performances in the Masonic Temple. The city of Winona also rents out the facility as an event venue. See also List of Masonic buildings in the United States National Register of Historic Places listings in Winona County, Minnesota References External links Historic Masonic Theatre Winona Lodge #18 Friends of the Masonic Facebook group 1909 establishments in Minnesota Beaux-Arts architecture in Minnesota Buildings and structures in Winona, Minnesota Clubhouses on the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota Masonic buildings completed in 1909 Masonic buildings in Minnesota National Register of Historic Places in Winona County, Minnesota Theatres on the National Register of Historic Places in Minnesota