THE ALBERT PIKE ROOM
This room is a memorial to Albert Pike, who
was Grand Commander of this Supreme Council from 1859 until his
death in 1891, at the age of 82. During these 32 years, he wrote
and compiled many books and became familiar with numerous languages,
among them Latin, Greek, and Sanskrit. He is recognized as a
great Masonic scholar, philosopher, and historian. He used his
vast talents to research and rewrite the Rituals of the Ancient
and Accepted Scottish Rite. His renown as a jurist, orator, philosopher,
scholar, soldier, and poet extends throughout the world.
The Albert Pike Room contains, in addition to his personal memorabilia, a model of the monument erected in his memory, the original of which is located at Third Street and Indiana Avenue, Northwest, in Washington, D.C., near the U.S. Department of Labor building. This is the only statue in the District of Columbia honoring a Confederate General. Also included in the Pike Room’s displays are first editions and holograph copies of many of Pike’s works; his original desk, lamp, clock, and chair; many personal items including Masonic regalia, a representative sampling of his large collection of pipes, and a plaster-cast mask similar to a life mask of Abraham Lincoln on display in the Americanism Museum of the House of the Temple.
During his lifetime, Bro. William R. Smith,
32°, former Director of the National Botanical Gardens in
Washington, D.C., assembled one of the most complete collections
of published works by and about Scottish poet Robert Burns. Recognized
as one of the finest of all Burns collections, second only to
the Burns collection in Glasgow, Scotland, it was cataloged by
Mr. William Thomson of the Public Library of Edinburgh, Scotland,
and recently converted to the Library’s computer catalog
system by Joan Sansbury, Librarian of The Supreme Council. The
industrialist Andrew Carnegie, trustee of Mr. Smith’s estate,
decided that because Robert Burns had been an ardent Freemason,
it would be appropriate to place the Burns collection in the
Library of The Supreme Council, with the condition that it be
housed in a special room available to the public and community
of scholars.
This collection features a unique portrait
of Sovereign Grand Commander Luther A. Smith (1955–1969)
in spun fiberglass; an impressive oil portrait of Sovereign Grand
Commander Henry C. Clausen (1969–1985), created by his son,
Don Clausen, a noted artist; and includes a display of Masonic
regalia, rare medals, fine porcelains, glassware, and gifts from
Masonic groups around the world.
Sovereign Grand Commander Albert
Pike established the Library of The Supreme Council in 1888 when
he donated his personal library of some 8,000 volumes, which
formed the nucleus of the present collection. The Library of
Congress then occupied limited space in the Capitol Building,
and its collections were not organized for any extended public
use. Except for the existence of "reading clubs" and
the restricted collections in various educational institutions,
there was no free public library in the nation’s capital.
In his 1888 Allocution, Grand Commander Albert Pike directed
that the Library of The Supreme Council should be opened to the
general public as a free library. Thus it became the first public
library in the District of Columbia.
The Kleinknecht Collection is the most recent
addition to the heritage of the House of the Temple. Established
by The Supreme Council to honor Sovereign Grand Commander C.
Fred Kleinknecht, it features selections of fine porcelains from
around the world, including Royal Copenhagen, Royal Crown Derby,
Boehm, Meissen china, and American cut glass. Housed in fine
cabinets with Chinoiserie decoration, this unique collection
reflects the international scope of the Scottish Rite.
Ill. J. Edgar Hoover, 33°, G.C., a Mason
for 51 years, was Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation
from 1924 until his death in 1972. The Board of Directors of
the J. Edgar Hoover Foundation, owner of Mr. Hoover’s memorabilia,
was interested in having it displayed in a place of respect,
dignity, and renown. On October 24, 1987, they voted unanimously
to place it in the custody of the House of the Temple. Since
the room opened on May 10, 1989, thousands of visitors have viewed
this attractively presented official collection of memorabilia
from Hoover’s home and office, illustrating the ethical,
professional, and human values of his life and work. In addition
to a mounted display of unusual photographs, the room includes
Bro. Hoover’s personal desk, office chair, and telephone.
Ill. Clark Shoaff, 33°, a retired FBI agent, served as the
curator of this collection from 1987 until his death in 1994.
For many decades, Ill. Burl Icle Ives, 33°,
Grand Cross, an award-winning singer and actor, touched the hearts
of young and old. Beginning his performance career at the age
of four, Ill. Ives spent his entire life bringing joy to those
around him through both his artistic talent and his kindness.
Although most of the world knew him as an entertainer, his membership
in Masonry meant a great deal to him, and he constantly devoted
himself to numerous charities.