Detroit Masonic Temple- Active? Absolutely.

This past fall season I spent a lot of time downtown at the Masonic Temple Detroit for Theatre Bizarre. This building is incredible- at 1,037 rooms it's the largest Masonic Temple in the world. It has secret staircases, hidden compartments and room after room of majestic architecture, pass throughs and dead ends.

Photo by Ken Jacoby

There is a small ghastly history surrounding the construction of this building, which is still possibly just a rumor, but is just enough to keep your eyes open while wandering around these floors. It's said that architect George D Mason schlumped up to the rooftop one evening and leapt to his death after suffering a few professional blows- financial ruin, wife left him, wanting to corrupt the Freemasons into a more specified cult style and got overthrown- usual stuff! Well, some say he died peacefully in his bed years later, but some swear they've seen him mounting stairs or touring the halls!

I have not seen him. I don't personally know anyone who has, that I now of yet. However, I do believe this place to be active, if not completely haunted. It's common ghost knowledge that not all ghosts haunt the places they died for "unfinished business" reasons. Some spirits move to their favorite places from their more living days. So, with that thought, it's easy to see how the Temple may have acquired some tenants. From my most frequented spots I have created a short list of noticings: 

The Theatre-Like any theatre, really, there's a constant feeling of being watched. I've noticed that it doesn't matter if it's a full venue or empty, there's an intense feeling of someone over your shoulder almost no matter where you are. (I've mostly stayed on the Stage Left side of the theatre as a guest and worker) Some have reported seeing a full crowd when they're looking out from the stage after closing. Some feel movement in an empty room. I have felt that, and can understand logically why it happens, but not the tense gut feeling I have when it does. Leave that ghost light on.

Ghost Light

The Elevator near the Theatre: This one I have tried to capture many times. It definitely feels that you're sharing that space with someone in one of those slightly awkward ways when you know Sally from Marketing is right next to you but you don;t have anything to say so you both just stare at the elevator doors until one of you can get out... That's the feeling. Slightly awkward but not as bad if you pretend to look through your purse or at your phone for any reason....

The Green Room: I only know it as the green room from Theatre Bizarre, I'm not sure what it is normally. It's on the 3rd floor, Archives floor, just next to the elevator. I've spoken about this room many times and nobody understands me. This room- it smelled! It was the weirdest, most horrid smell I think I have ever happened upon and there was no source. None. It didn't smell like old food, dead animal or even a homeless person. It was a stench that stung nearly all of my senses (I could feel it in my fingers, I swear), that was so bad I couldn't breathe for the small and flavor, so thick was it in the air. BUT it was ONLY in this room, could only faintly be smelled from the hallway and seemingly nobody else really took it in as much as I did. I tried to avoid this space until TB was open and the room was cleared out for actors to move in. It was cleaned up and smelling like dryer sheets after a while, but I still don't understand why I am the only one to have taken this specific room so badly. I don't think I caught anything here, but a visual is good. Maybe someone will recognize it. 

The Crystal Ballroom: Some people had mentioned some rumors but I do not think it was anything Serious. Granted I had only been in the ballroom during times of great hubbub, which acts as a hindrance to noticing spooks, but nothing seems out of the ordinary here compared to other spots. I mean, I love spectacle, don't get me wrong, but for something as delicate as ghost sightings can sometimes be, not ideal. But isn't it lovely?

The ballroom during Theatre Bizarre Gala.

So, is the Masonic haunted? Yes. Did I see a ghost? No, but I hope to. What I did notice were random scents coming from nowhere, cold spots in places in the building that wouldn't make sense, and the constant feeling of someone watching you. It's not all together unfriendly. A friend and I were discussing how we both treat the Masonic more like a person than just a building. And tht's how we really feel about it, it's a friend, a main character rather than a set. 

For more information on the Masonic and their free tours check here.

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