San Diego Temple

For half a century, there’s been no missing the strikingly Modernist Scottish Rite Temple in Mission Valley. Now, as the building prepares for demolition, with a Home Depot slated to take over the space, Masons are saying farewell to the architectural blast from the past.

With its monumental, angular entry and gabled roof, the temple is a classic example of Googie-style midcentury architecture. Opened in 1957 as Bowlero—at the time, the largest fully automated bowling alley in the country—the 64,000-foot space initially had 55 bowling lanes, plus a cocktail bar, a restaurant and kitchen, offices, a pool room, and a beauty parlor. The bowling alley only lasted until 1964, when the building was sold to the San Diego Scottish Rite, which has occupied the space ever since.

The Googie aesthetic was a short-lived architectural style defined by bright colors, oversize signage, and exaggerated or abstract shapes typical of the dawning space age. Intended to catch the eye of passing motorists, Googie elements were most prominent in roadside establishments like restaurants, gas stations, motels, and coffee shops. (The name references the 1949 Los Angeles cafe Googies.)

Now the Mission Valley site is getting ready for a new phase of life. In May, San Diego’ s City Council approved plans to demolish the original building, which will be replaced by a Home Depot store. As part of the plan, a new two-story, 40,000-square-foot temple will be constructed nearby—giving the Scottish Rite much-needed rental income and a more manageable footprint of its own, representatives say. [Good news in the long term:Ed]

As for lamenting the loss of such a distinctive piece of midcentury style, there’s some good news: Developers say they have every intention of retaining the Googie styling in the new façade.

Thanks to California Freemason magazine November 2021

The above excerpt shows both the lodge and chapter meeting the 1st and 3rd Friday whereas today it is the 2/4th and 3rd Thursday respectively. The other thing to note is that the lodge met once per month until the mad days of the post war era when it went into overdrive to mass produce masons!

Follow Up on 3bis Jewels

Last September, there was an article about unusual jewels from Lodge St. John No.3bis.

It would appear that these are members’ jewels but whether every member received (or bought) a jewel is unknown. The symbolism at the top certainly indicates the lodge’s antiquity from before the Craft was de-Christianised early in the 19th Century.

Thanks to Bro. David Jack RWM 3bis for the info and January 2023 to see the charity box.