A Historic Landmark

Cornerstone Center for the Arts is an architectural and historic gem for Muncie and the surrounding community. As stewards of this treasure, we endeavor to make it sing - activated with arts education, community events, and more. Originally Muncie’s Masonic Temple, our building’s history has been captured in several places. We encourage you to explore those stories here and through the links provided.

Excerpt from Wikipedia

Muncie's Masonic Temple is a historic fraternal lodge building located in Muncie, Indiana. The building is now only used by the Cornerstone Center for the Arts. The Muncie Masonic Temple is in the Gothic Revival style, and was designed and built during the height of the City Beautiful Movement.[2]

This six-story Masonic Temple is the third meeting hall constructed by the Freemasons in the city of Muncie, and well-known Muncie architect Cuno Kibele was commissioned for the project. The land was acquired by the Masons to accommodate a new building that would handle the rapid increase in membership during the period known as the Golden Age of Fraternalism. The cornerstone was laid according to Masonic tradition on 30 October 1920, and construction was completed in 1926 at a final cost of around $1 million. [3]

The first rough estimates for the construction were around $250,000. Each organization within the fraternity was to have its own assembly room. Plans were changed, however, when the Ball brothers offered up a $150,000 donation in order to add an auditorium to the structure. Frank C. Ball, in particular, stated that his hope was to provide a place for high-level entertainments to be held in Muncie and that he saw the construction of the new Masonic temple as a perfect place.[4]

Excerpts from the Delaware Lodge history

Gustave A Brand Murals

For the interior of the Masonic Temple, Gustave Adolph Brand designed the murals. Gustave Brand was born in Parchim, Germany in 1862. …. Brand was responsible for hundreds of allegorical murals found in banks, public and fraternal buildings, churches and theaters throughout the United States. Among those are the …, the Monroe County Courthouse in Bloomington .… For Muncie’s Masonic Lodge, twenty-two oil on canvas paintings, each measuring 12 by 14 feet, were commissioned. The majority of which were to be located in the Blue Lodge rooms and the main vestibule. They were painted in Chicago and then transported to Muncie.

Cuno Kibele Architecture

Cuno Kibele, architect for the Masonic Temple, was born in Bluffton, Indiana in 1866. .… On April 1, 1905, the Kibele family moved to Muncie so that Cuno could oversee the H.R. Wysor Building project. This was the time of Muncie’s gas boom and many people had money to spend so business was plentiful. His first office was located at 333-335 Johnson Building at the northeast corner of Walnut and Charles. By 1911, Kibele hired an assistant named Carl Wave Garrad, who was made a partner in the firm in 1923. It was at this time that the firm’s name was changed to Kibele & Garrad. … Besides the Masonic Temple, Kibele also designed the Wysor Building, Vatet Block, Harrison School, Merchants National Bank, Muncie Normal School Gymnasium (now located on the Ball State University campus), Rose Court Building (listed on the National Register), Ball Memorial Hospital, Canopic Apartments, Y.W.C.A., and approximately 60 residences in Muncie. Some of the firm’s commissions in other areas of the state include the First Presbyterian Church, Methodist Church, Bliss Hotel, Carnegie Library, and several residences in Bluffton.