Building Name: Kent’s Building
Life Span: 1870-1871
Address: No. 153 Monroe, west of Clark street
Block and Subdivision: 38, School Section Addition
Architect: Messrs. Wilson and Grant
- Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1870
Kent’s Building—151 and 153 Monroe street
Knights of Pythias Welcome Lodge No. 1—Meets Thursday in Grand Lodge Hall, 151 and 153 Monroe.
Edwards’ Annual Directory in the City of Chicago, for 1871
Kent’s Building—151 and 153 Monroe street
Knights of Pythias, 151 and 153 Monroe
Knights of Pythias Welcome No. 1—Meets Thursday in the Grand Lodge hall, J. G. Sprague, W. C.
Chicago Evening Post, April 8, 1869
Messrs. Kent & Co. are about to erect a four-story, marble front office block, on Monroe street, just west of Clark street. It will be used entirely for offices, and will cost about $40,000. Messrs. Wilson and Grant are the contractors.
Chicago Tribune, May 24, 1870
The new hall of the Grand Lodge of the Knights of Pythias of this State, located to the new marble building, Nos. 151 and 153 Monroe street, was dedicated, last evening, with appropriate ceremonies, The hall is the finest in the country, as may be seen by the following description:
In the magnificent new marble building on Monroe street, known as Nos. 151 and 153, presenting a highly and elaborately finished front of is fifty feet, and having a depth of some eighty feet, is where the Grand Lodge Hall of the Knights of Pythias has been located and fitted up. The three for lower stories of this splendid structure are used offices and other business purposes, white the entire fourth fourth is used and controlled by the Knights, rites. for the practice of their weird and peculiar. rites.
After ascending the last flight of stairs, further progress is stopped by the intervention of a large, heavy oak and walnut door, having a mouth-piece or speaking-tube through it, also a crankbell-handle. The door being opened, you enter a long hallway and room, 29×12 feet, which is arranged for and will be used as a hat and coat-room. On either side, to the right and left—or on the east and west sides of this coat-room—are doors entering the parlor and reception rooms, while at the further, or south end, are the large, double walnut doors, opening into the grand hall.
Entering the reception room, on the west side of the building, you are in a very finely fitted up room, 25 by 16 feet, from the south end of which you enter the regalia room, which is 14 by 9 feet, fitted up in oak, wardrobe style, for the regalias of the Grand and subordinate lodges.
At the further, or south end of this room again, and maple door, with a brass knocker, in the shape of a gauntlet, that strikes on a shield; below it is a mouth-piece like that on the outer door, and below that again a frame, containing three sliding panels of the several colors of yellow, blue, and red,
On the east side of the entrance, or left of the main door, is the parlor, elegantly carpeted, in a shield pattern of Brussels, and finely and fully furnished in black walnut, with red upholstering. Adjoining this parlor is an ante-room, also equipped with oak wardrobes and archive depositories, and from the further end of which you enter the main hall, at the east end, the door being arranged lIke that of the regalia room. This archive room and the parlor are of the same size as the regalia and reception rooms, on the west side of the building.
Upon entering or the main or grand lodge hall, by the principal or double doorway, the whole is brought immediately under view. It is fifty feet in length by thirty-five in width. On the east is a square station, with three steps leading to it, and upon it one very large chair, flanked on either side by smaller ones of the same pattern and design, the principal one being that occupied by the Grand Chancellor during the sessions of the Grand Lodge, the others by any visiting Grand or Past Grand Chancellors of the surrounding jurisdictions. The main chair is seven and a half feet high, the others six and all are elaborately carved and ornamented with swords, lances, battle axes, daggers, &c., and surmounting it is a carved head of a knight, with visor down, the arms made to represent gauntletted handle and the backs are finished in the shape of a beautiful shield. These chairs are upholstered in red.
At either of the front corners of this station, are bronze statuettes, about four feet high, of knights in full armor, beautifully posed, and holding in one hand a lance, in an upright position, to which is appended a small silk banner, with the colors arranged harmoniously, One consists of black, white, green, red, yellow, and blue, the other red, yellow, and blue in gores, both being trimmed with gold lace and fringe, and bearing upon them the crest of the order, and the mythical letters F. C. B. In the rear and over this station the wall—which is otherwise white—is panelled for the space of of about sixteen feet, and in the panel a copy of the seal of the Grand Lodge is painted, enclosing in its centre what la termed “a trophy,” comprising the breast, back, and arm-plates, gauntlet, helmet, shield, and battle-axes of a knight of old, around the whole of which is thrown, in circular shape, a ribbon, bearing the following inscription:
- Grand Lodge Knights of Pythias of Illinois. Instituted February 4, 1870.
On the right and left of the panel are lances, bearing pennons, or guidons.
To the west is a triangular platform, reached by two steps, On it are the chairs, the counterparts of those in the east end of the room, with the exception that they are not so large and are upholstered in blue. This is the station of the Grand Vice Chancellor. The wall of this station is also panelled, and, in the centre, is painted a banner in three parts, showing the predominating colors of “red,” magnanimity; “yellow,” consistency, and “blue,” loyality, and bearing the monogram of the order.
Over the main entrance to the ball or in the north is represented the smoke that ascends from two “Torches of Civilization,” supported by gauntleted hands, emerging from a confused state of matter and human skulls, meeting and forming clouds of inky darkness, while below below of bright rays of light ascend and bring out with vivid effect, as if on the clouds, the following words:
- Founded on naught but the purest and sincerest of motives; our aim is to alleviate the suffering of a brother, succor the unfortunate, zealously watch at the bedside of the sick, soothe the dying pillow, perform the last sad rites at the grave of a brother, offering consolation to the affected and caring for the widow and orphan.
In the south is a circular station, having one step and chairs like those of the other stations, only that they are upholstered in yellow. in front of this station is a walnut reading desk, and over the window is painted an altar cover, a bible resting on the altar, and the whole supported by two swords “en garde.”
Around the walls were antique shields of different patterns, bearing the names, number, and coats of arms of the various subordinate lodges. Four gas pendants, each having the symbolic number of three and globes, drop from the celling, one in each quarter of the hall, while in the centre, and immediately over the “altar,” is the main chandelier, having twelve jets and globes. The altar is triangular in form, each angle being supported by clenched fists encased in gauntlets, acting as the supports or legs. Rising from each corner runs a twisted column, ending in a mace, and resting. on this are small quarter busts und helmeted heads, visor down, and supporting on the crests of their helmets the shield that holds the “Book of the Law.” In the three panels made by these and the upright carving and mouldings, are three of the most perfect and elaborate specimens of wood carving in this city, if equalled anywhere. One is a knight’s bust in medallion. resting on a banner of antique design, divided with argents in three gores, swords en menace, visor down, and helmet surmounted with a magnificent plume of three feathers, embodying the colors “red,” “blue,” and “yellow,” every scale, bar, link, or greave being fully and successful accomplishment, in such a high state of artistic finish, are creditable to the artist and the Grand Lodge. The other two are of equal merit, and are a round shield with a monogram of the order, lined in with lances.
The hall and rooms are elegantly carpeted. The furniture outside the stations is in settee style, spring seats, and walnut and cherry paneled backs, giving a large seating capacity without waste of room. On the right of the Grand Chancellor’s station is the Grand Scribe’s desk, and to the left is that of the Grand Banker. The organ is a “double banked” instrument, with twelve stops and a fine tone. The hall and rooms are furnished in oak, ash, walnut, cherry, maple, and boxwood.
The hall was filled last evening by a fashionable audience, one-half of whom were ladies who were interested spectators of the strange ceremonies which were merely outward symbols of the mysteries which no woman can penetrate.
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