Sioux City History and Culture by Bicycle Part 111: William LaBarth Steele Part 6: Scottish Rite Temple

William L. Steele not only designed commercial and government buildings and houses but he also designed religious buildings. He has many churches to his credit. He was a devout Catholic and was very good friends with the Bishop of Sioux City and the diocese. As a result it is felt his reputation preceded him and he is credited for designing more then just Catholic churches and buildings. In May of 1994 Brian Charles Hughes wrote a Thesis called Sermons in Stone The Ecclesiastical Designs of William LaBarthe Steele. In the thesis is most if not all of the religious buildings are cataloged. One of the religious buildings he designed was the now Scottish Rite Temple.

The Scottish Rite Temple was not always the Scottish Rite Temple. Originally it was the Knights of Columbus Recreation Center. The building was completed and opened as the recreation center on February 8, 1926. The building was designed by William L. Steele and is a classic example of Prairie School architecture. The recreation center building had a swimming pool, basketball court, men's and women's locker rooms and showers. It is also thought it had a bowling alley as well. There are plans that show one, but no proof it was ever installed.

By 1937 the building had been in receivership for a number of years. The diocese would not bail the Knights of Columbus out. In the September 9, 1937 edition of the Sioux City Tribune there was an article stating Judge F. H. Rice set 10 a.m. Saturday for a hearing on the sale of the building for $40,000. According to an order filed in district court G. Y. Skeels, trustee of the building has asked approval of the sale to W. B. Whiting, Rotary, Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. The title of the order is G. Y. Skeels, trustee vs. the Columbus Community center, et. al. The building had been in receivership 6 years prior to the sale in 1937. Which means it only lasted as the recreation center for 5 years.

After the Scottish Rite purchased the building they put about $122,500 to cover remodeling and furnishings for the new Scottish Rite Temple. The building was dedicated as the Sioux City Scottish Rite Temple on November 27, 1938.

Here is a short article and photo from the Sunday October 25, 1925 edition of the Sioux City Journal about the Knights of Columbus Recreation Center:


Here are photo's of the inside and outside of the building as it looks today: