Do You Know This Building?
Answers: 1. b) Alamosa; 2. b) 1887; 3. b) stamped metal The Masonic Hall with its bracketed cornice and segmentally arched windows exhibits the Italianate detailing that was typical of 19th century commercial architecture. It was one of the first major buildings to be constructed on what would become Alamosa’s main street. Construction of the building in 1887 signaled the relocation of the town’s commercial area away from Sixth Street and the adjacent railroad tracks towards Fifth Street. Now known as Main Street, this is the primary thoroughfare through the commercial section of town. The storefronts of historic commercial buildings more often than not undergo a variety of alterations over the years, and the Masonic Hall was not exempt from this trend. Historic photographs show a reconfigured storefront by the 1930s. The current storefront has remained relatively unchanged from a 1976 photograph. While the street level has undergone alterations, the upper story with its elaborate stamped metal façade has remained remarkably intact. The stamped metal façade represents a period of construction associated with the arrival of the railroad and the resulting ability to import prefabricated architectural elements. The Masonic Hall is the only extant building in Alamosa to be constructed of this material. The 1851 Exposition in London with its Crystal Palace created far-reaching architectural waves with its use of metal in building construction. Although iron had been in use since the latter part of the 18th century, it quickly became the advanced building material for the 19th century. Sheet steel began replacing cast iron as the surface material for pre-fabricated building fronts in the 1880s. The arrival of pre-fab metal fronts in Colorado during the 1870s was made possible by the railroad. This newly-available building material provided great possibilities in terms of ornamental surface and design, and Coloradoans equated ornamentation with advanced civilization. The 20-gauge stamped metal façade incorporates Corinthian capitals, a running band of anthemions, and modillions that form the bracketed cornice. Listed in the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties, the Alamosa
Masonic Hall received State Historical Fund grants for an historic structure
assessment and exterior restoration. |
